Reconnectivity
by Shinigami Hilde
Summary: The story of The Inu No Taishou did not end with his death. Captured and subdued by a terrible power, he loses connection with his family and succumbs to his fate. Until the day when things took a drastic change.
1. Beginning

Reconnectivity

_By: Lone Inuyasha_

_Disclaimer: All characters canon to the Inuyasha series are intellectual property of Takahashi Rumiko, Shounen Sunday and Sunrise. _

_AN: This was an idea based off of a role play. But the back story of it, more-or-less. _

Beginning.

She was a beautiful sight to behold, her large aqua colored eyes sparkled like gems and long hair was as beautiful as the finest silk. Her body moved with a fluid grace that could leave someone captivated by simply watching her and her power could slaughter hundreds in a single breath. He had to be honest, he really had low opinions over dragons, but this dragoness was such a gorgeous example of her species that even he had to marvel at her. Now if only he had the opportunity to do so...

Her serpentine body was covered in scales that shimmered like emeralds in the dim light of her lair, her gracefully sloping antlers just barely missed scraping the weathered rock formations above her head as she curled in on her self and lined her nose up with his leaping form. Lunging for him with a large opened maw filled with wickedly sharp fangs. His twin blades met her teeth with a loud clash of metal on bone, each blade slender and curved with a set of wicked hooks running along the back. These swords were specially crafted to fight and dispatch those who heavily used magic, they were also the reason why the dragoness lacked so many of those emerald scales around her face and throat. Once more those swords thwarted her efforts to dispatch her attacker.

As the dragon recoiled back from his blades he leapt in for another attempt to lash out at her throat. Her opponent was a man that stood a little over six feet in height and was clad in a black and navy blue colored armor with a samurais' helmet and mask protecting him from the dragons searing breath. He looked human but his movements were far too fast and too strong to be human. Which only added more to the dragons frustrations as she was left not knowing what creature she was facing. The dragon caught his blinding fast movements from the corner of her eye and quickly reared up as she felt those much hated twin swords rake over her thick hide and rip off yet another line of scales. She recoiled her long body back to give her room for the next step in what has been a lengthy, deadly dance.

He missed the dragons vital throat once more and snarled in his own frustration, he had been trying to dispatch this creature for hours now and each of her narrow escapes added more pressure to his deteriorating situation. He was exhausted, hurt and dehydrated but he could not feel any of it, his ability to feel discomfort of any kind subdued by a powerful spell. He knew his body was past it's limit but he understood the silent order to continue this battle till he brought down his prey or till his body gave out completely. It was a desperate situation stemmed from another desperate situation. Dragons were not usually on his list of potential hunts, but his usual prey had become very scarce. Forcing him to seek out and hunt creatures he would otherwise avoid if he could. He hit the ground running for the dragon as she reared up, a brash move but if he could reach her hind limbs and sever the vital tendons of her ankles or knee he could swing this fight into his favor! He lunged fast and swung out those blades in a pin-wheel fashion as he closed in on the dragons heel.

He had no idea dragons could bunny-hop till he witnessed it himself, the dragoness still reared up with her for limbs in the air, she rocked back on her haunches and hopped out of his blades reach just as he got within range. The hunter dug the heels of his boots into the cave floor to grind his forward momentum to a halt before he spun on the dragon only to feel a brutal blow strike him from his left side. He was airborne for what felt like a minute or two, seeing his world spin and hearing the fragmenting clatter of his smashed armor. Before he landed in a tumbling roll on the cave floor only to come to a stop once he hit a boulder.

That had to have broken something, or many some things, maybe everything was broken? He lacked any feeling of pain or pressure, thanks to that spell he was numb all over so he was unaware of the extent of the damage he'd just taken. But what he did know scared him...his body wouldn't respond. He was awake, he could see the bunny-hopping dragon and her whip like tail responsible for that blow. He could see her hop a couple of more times before she landed back down on all fours. He could see those beautiful aqua eyes that turned towards him and he could feel the panic welling up in him as she started to close in.

_Move._

Nothing so much as even twitched, he could smell his own blood and knew he was badly wounded. He only needed to look out a little ways to see the trailing fragments of smashed armor scattered along his flight path to know he suffered a mortal blow.

_Move..._

He could see the rippling effect in the cave air as the dragons flame began to light up in her throat, Releasing a puff of super heated gas from the corners of her jaws.

_MOVE! _

Sheer will and adrenalin was probably to credit when he finally pushed himself from that boulder and rolled away from the direct blow of the dragons fireball. Escaping the impact that shattered the boulder, but the wave of flame that washed over everything around it though wasn't as easily avoided. He scrambled as the fire burned at his exposed flesh and devoured all the oxygen in the air around him before he could have a chance to take a breath. He scrambled to his feet only to discover that his body was far from structurally sound and he could not even so much as stay on his feet without hearing the grind of broken bones moments before falling back down to the cave floor. He tumbled onto his back and gasped for air inside of his now stuffy helmet once the flames flickered away. His bloodied hands reaching up to pull at the buckles holding his samurais mask and helmet in place. Prying it free a moment later as he gasped out for a lung full of air, least for the lung that still worked.

His silvery white hair spilled out around him, framing his face that was covered in burns from the fire. Two deep blue stripes standing out over his cheeks marking him as a demon along with golden eyes that shimmered dully, reflecting his weakened state as they looked for the dragoness. Finding her a second later as her paw came down beside him, driving a large talon through his torso. That huge claw not only pinned him to the cave floor but crushed the last scrap of hope he had that he would survive this. Defeated again by a dragon and this time the dragon managed to get him. His head lay back onto the dusty cave floor as his golden eyes rolled up to the serpent like head above him. He remembered his closest victory against Ryoukotsusei, looking into the eyes of his enemy as he watched the life drain from them. This time though, the tables were turned, for at that moment he was looking into those aqua blue eyes, knowing their shimmer would probably be the last thing he would see. Those aqua pools vanished a moment later as the dragoness opened her huge jaws. He closed his eyes then and turned his head away, calmly accepting death, after all, this wasn't the first time he'd been killed.

His master was cruel, here he had done everything that was asked of him and fought as hard as he could under orders and how was he repaid in his dying moments? The spell that numbed his body was revoked unleashing a flood of pain that swept over every nerve ending in his body. Every broken bone, every gaping hole, every gouged-torn-ruptured organ assaulted him full force with pain. Thinking rationally, he knew there was only so much pain he would suffer before shock would set in and dull him naturally. Not that he figures he would have the time to hit that threshold. He could not see anything but he could feel the hot air around him and the teeth of the dragon pressing against his broken body as he lay trapped in her jaws. He knew all his pain would be over in a second or two and with that thought in mind he calmly waited for it all to end.

But when that second or two turned into a few minutes he began to get impatient. '_Damn this beast to the seven hells and back, I am in agony here are you going to eat me or not!' _He opened an eye and looked about, despite the unnerving sight of seeing the inside of a dragons mouth he was rather calm about it, if still annoyed. He wished he could at least lift his head but he was in such a state of exhaustion that the smallest of movements were impossible. Leaving the youkai to stare at the back of the dragons throat. What was she doing? She had him, was she debating how to kill him? He was wedged firmly between her teeth, a simple bite was all she needed. What else could she be planning here?

He got his answer a minute later when that huge tongue came up to unwedge him, the dragon rolling her head to the side before spitting the youkai out, a deep growl rumbling from her. He landed hard onto dried grass which helped to aggravate his injuries all the more and rolled onto his back limply. Those golden orbs gazing up through a haze of pain to the night sky, a black velvet back drop filled with stars. Not something one sees right after staring at a dragons tonsils for so long, He was outside and that realization left the poor demon very confused. His golden eyes drifted back towards the dragoness though the hulking beast now was gone. In its place was a petite sized woman dressed in richly decorated Chinese silk robes. Her hair done up elaborately and her face painted with traditional Chinese makeup. She bore wounds and cuts along her face and neck where his swords had succeeded in reaching her. But those wounds did not mar her beauty, or make her look nearly as frightening as her scowl did.

She was at his side before he knew it, glaring down at him as she growled something in a dialect of Chinese he did not recognize. He wanted to shake his head but found that to be nearly impossible so instead he forced his dry vocal cords to work and responded back in Mandarin, only to watch her face flush in growing anger. He blinked realizing that he somehow managed to insult her, yet he tried again in Cantonese only to end up with the same result. He sighed softly and looked up calmly to the petite, beautiful, frightening woman and giving up, resorted to his native tongue. " I'm sorry" He stated in a raspy voice as he squeezed what air he could out of tortured lungs.

He watched her face quietly as she glared at him. Her small hand reaching down to a fragment of his armor, adorned with a delicate looking symbol of an eye. Prying it free from him with a twisting motion that aggravated his wounds even more and made him grunt. The jolt of pain he endured though had lost it's edge as thankfully, shock was beginning to set in and he was loosing awareness of everything around him. He barely noticed when the dragoness took a hold of his chin and pushed his face to the side. Running a slender finger along that blue youkai marking, she mumbled something else in the same dialect as before but at this point he didn't care. He closed his eyes and gave into the urge to sleep that was becoming hard to ignore. Knowing well that he was probably not going to wake up again.

…"_There is nothing more that you can do for us, you are not fit to return, when your physical body is lost your soul will come back to me, where it belongs...mio Tesoro... " _

Those words echoed softly in his mind and through his dream, He was sitting out on a hill top over looking a field of wild flowers. The summer wind was blowing through the country side, catching and tossing those silvery white locks of silken hair. He sat there garbed in a dark grey/blue top and hakama bottom. His gaze locked on the sky a moment as he saw a glimpse of his shiro hidden among the clouds. Taking a moment he reflected on what had happened, It was odd to him, he did not remember his first death, maybe because it was so traumatizing and he was not ready for it. He fully intended to escape that burning castle and reunite with his mate and new born pup. But sadly the collapse of the castle over him put an end to that. It was an abrupt and terrifying death which left him angry and fearful for the woman and newborn he was leaving behind. This time around though he was ready for it, welcomed it, was perfectly calm about it. Maybe that's why it felt so peaceful at the moment, maybe this was a sense of relief that his trials were finally over...for now. He was already told once long ago that of he was ever to fall in battle his soul would be retrieved to be raised again. His predicament denied him eternal rest and his master made sure he did not forget that.

He looked out to the field of wild flowers then, thinking about the time when he ruled this land, remembering when he was known and respected as the Great Dog General, the Inu no Taishou. He was a force to be reckoned with, a Daiyoukai that managed to conquer and defend a large territory in the western part of the country. But because of a string of poor decisions, an ill fated wish and one misplaced hope he died in a blaze of glory only to be raised back into the living world again as an Inugami. He smiled a little as he reflected on the fate he brought on himself and how he doomed himself forever. Not that it mattered anymore, no one remembered him, his mate had been gone for hundreds of years and his sons knew he was dead. No one was aware of him, no one would care about what happened to him now, no one would come looking for him either and with that he dismissed that thought as he laid himself back on the soft grass. He gazed up to the blue skies above only to blink in confusion when a bald head came into his vision. He stared up at what looked like a man in his 60's, flinching a little as a wash cloth was pressed to his cheek-it stung!

He blinked again and the blue skies and flowery fields disappeared, instead he found himself in a room laying on his back on a mattress of straw. Around him there were people all muttering in a language he didn't recognize, one was leaning over him and dabbing a wet wash cloth over the burns of his face. Others were unraveling crimson soaked bandages and replacing them with clean ones. He realized he was in pain but nothing nearly as bad as what he'd experienced earlier. He shifted some and flinched a little as a string of sparks lit up, effectively stopping him from trying to sit up. Forced back onto the mattress, he looked down at himself and realized he was naked, bandaged and draped with prayer beads. No wonder he could not get up, yet he was surprised there were still spiritualists in this day and age that had real power. He looked at the people around him then and realized all were shaved bald and all wore a wrap of orange cloth as a robe, they were Monks. He looked to the man leaning over him again as he tried to talk to him, the dog demon sighing a little and trying again to communicate in his native tongue.

" I do not understand a word you're saying, I don't know who you are and I don't know where I am.." He looked to the man a moment who gave him a strange look before one of the younger monks stepped over and responded to the monk first with a smile before looking to him and answering back in Japanese. " You are in Sichuan, this is the Palpung Monastery." The youth looked at his further confused look before smiling and giving a more understandable answer. "You are in Tibet. "

Chapter one owari


	2. Twists

Chapter 2: Twists

Tibet...Last he checked he was in the eastern part of China hunting a dragon, or more accurately, getting completely mauled by a dragon. How he ended up in Tibet was a mystery and not one that was going to be easily solved as the only person who spoke his tongue was the young monk named Suul. Yet this little bit of relief was marred as Suul was forbidden from saying very much to the dog demon other than what the head monk would allow him to say. Despite the lack of communication though he did figure a few things on his own, the dragon had a hand in putting him here, the monks knew he was a dog demon and they did not trust him at all. Why they bothered to tend his wounds was a mystery though. The monks had dressed his wounds and given him medicines, they even fed the him though the all vegetarian diet was lending little help towards his recovery. Despite the aid they provided, the monks made it clear that they feared him as he was confined to a windowless room. In the hallways all around it incense burned with a scent that made him violently ill with a single whiff and prayer beads were wrapped snuggly around his neck and wrists to suppress what little youki he had. He was a prisoner here, but a well cared for prisoner.

Again he had to wonder why he was even here? Why were they taking care of him when they obviously feared him? He pondered over that as he sat on the stone floor of his room, garbed in a tan colored robe he looked over the remaining scars from his battle by candle light. Dwelling a little over the fact that he had no idea how long he had been there, his room lacked a window and the had monk refused to tell him much, including when it was. He idly wondered what they planned to do with him once he was healed and idly poked at the memory of Taijiya capturing youkai for the purpose of training younger taijiya with. Chaining the demons to posts and letting the youths attack them. The youkai had been on his best behavior while he was a 'guest' at the monastery but if the monks decided to train allocates on him they were in for a nasty surprise that no amount of rosary beads will save them from.

His train of thought came a screeching halt as the door of his chamber opened, a group of six monks filing in ahead of the head monk himself. If he wasn't the bane of his existence at the moment the youkai would think he was a kind old man. He looked like he was in his seventies, kind of skinny but his expression was one of patience. If this man who looked like anyone's grandfather wasn't in the position of jail warden he might have liked him a little. He shifted his position into a more dignified one as he gazed up to the monks that filed in, not daring to stand up to greet them. Staying on the floor he tried to look as unthreatening as possible, hard thing to accomplish while standing up when you were a six-foot something and everyone else around you was five feet or less. He found that many of the monks were less intimidated by him when he wasn't looming over them.

Among the number of monks that filed in was Suul, he looked like he was about seventeen or eighteen and always had a smile on his face when he saw him. The boy seemed completely comfortable with the fact that he was in the presence of a dog demon. Or perhaps he was just naive to the potential danger? He wanted to pull the boy aside and advise him that he should never be this nonchalant about any other demon he crossed paths with. But the head monk took measures to ensure the boy did not have a chance to speak with him unless another higher ranking monk was with them. Something that was grating on the demons nerves more and more, this time was no exception as the boy attempted to greet him but was cut off by the low droning voice of the head monk. The boy gave the head monk a confused look before nodding.

"The head monk says that you are looking well and he brings you news that you'll have an important visitor today. " The boy stopped as the droning began again and nodded before he continued. "The head monk asks if there is anything you wish to tell him?" It was the same question that had been asked over and over since he first woke up here. The monks have been trying to pry information from him since he was strong enough to sit up. Where was he from? Why did he attack the dragon? Who sent him on that mission? All questions he could not answer, not without incurring the wrath of his master. Who…had been silent for a long while now and it left him a little perplexed. But he hid that and simply shook his head no to Suuls question. "There is nothing I can say, that will not change." Suul drew a breath to that and turned to the head monk to repeat his answer. As expected the head monk gave him the same disappointed look as before when he received the same answer.

The head monk gave another drone to the boy before Suul looked back and smiled. "The head monk says he will always listen whenever you are ready to talk. He also says that if you're ready we can bring you to your visitor." The same response to his same response, it was something he could predict at this point. But he dismissed any annoyance when he was told he could be brought to see his visitor. Meaning, he could finally leave this room for the first time since he woke up here. It was an exciting concept as he'd yet to see anything outside of these four stone walls. He nodded then and rose to his feet, golden orbs gazing down at the group of monks before him who shuffled back away from him. Those golden eyes remained locked on the head monk who seemed to be the only one beside Suul, there who was not unnerved by the youkai standing up to his full height. " I am ready to see this visitor." He quipped as a tinge of annoyance worked into his tone.

The head monk smiled an him then as he softly relayed orders to the other monks around him. All of which reluctantly left his side to prepare the escort for him out of the room. The you kais gaze slipped over to the door as he watched two monks leave the room and he idly hoped they aired out the hallways they expected him to walk through. That incense was there for a while and if he came into contact with it again then there would be a need for a clean up in isle three. The scent of the stuff was sickly sweet and made his stomach churn and sour instantly. He sighed softly and folded his arms over his chest as he waited for the monks to finish their preparations.

It took considerable will power for the Inu no taishou to bite his tongue, the monks preparations had included adding almost thirty lbs worth of beads and woven sutras around his limbs, his neck, his waist, over his chest and he wondered if they tied a charm or two into his silvery hair. He knew if he mentioned to the monks that their insane efforts to subdue him were in vain they would not bother with all this, but then they would only find something ten times worse. He sighed softly as he made his way through the halls of the monastery, the monks surrounding him to keep a close eye while two others chanted behind him. It was a test of his patience and the youkai had to be thankful that he'd developed quite a bit of patience in all his years. As they moved down the halls he took a the opportunity to look around.

The corridors here were just as plane as the room he had called his prison for the past…he still had no idea how long he'd been here. He did though get to see a few of the younger monks, many children who peeked from doorways to spy on what was perhaps the only demon they would ever see in their lives. He smirked a little as his golden eyes gazed to the side to one small group of snooping children and was rewarded by their little gasps as they disappeared behind the door. Smart kids, considering he was probably the only youkai that was patient enough to play "Nice demon" for his "hosts". The monks led him to another door and one reached out to draw aside the heavy tapestry that served as its door. Motioning the youkai to go in only to back off a little when he passed by them.

Inside the chamber was by far more luxurious looking than the rest of the monastery, with a ornate looking, walls adorned with paintings and carvings of Buddha surrounded a polished table. Settled on one side of the table was the dragoness herself, looking quite comfortable on her cushion as she smoked a long, slender pipe. The scent of the tobacco made his nose wrinkle but did not stop him as he made his way towards the table. His layers of beads clattering softly with each step as he greeted her in his native language.

"Greetings M'lady Dragon, this is quite a surprise, as you are the last person I expected to see here." With that he settled himself down on another cushion, folding his arms over his chest as he regarded her for a moment.

She was quite a beautiful woman in this form, her aqua eyes still as enchanting as ever and her ivory colored skin looked like it was quite soft. She was clad in ornate silk robes that looked like they came from the Han Dynasty. She regarded him in return, her eyes locked with his as she chewed lightly on the end of her pipe.

He began to doubt if she understood his tongue at all when finally lowered that pipe a little and answered with a puff of smoke. "Do not play games dog demon, your life still rests in my hands and my mercy does not come without a price."

The deep tone of her voice sounded more like an old woman, not very befitting of her appearance as a young maiden. The youkai though kept that to himself for now as he slowly shook his head. "I meant that honestly, I'm quite surprised that I am sitting here right now for many reasons. Perhaps you can shed some light as to why?" The dragoness clenched her pointed teeth around the end of her pipe as those aqua orbs narrowed on him. The youkai had to suppress a little smirk, normally he took pleasure when he infuriated his enemies. But he was playing with fire here in the literal sense and had to tread carefully. "You're alive Hunter because you are more valuable to me this way." She caught his little flinch to the label and smiled a little to him. "Do not bother, I know about your masters for you're not the first Hunter that they've sent to die in my lair."

This wasn't the first time he was confronted by those who knew of his master, after all he wasn't the first and defiantly wasn't the last person to have crossed paths with them. So when he ran into someone who knew, he put up his defenses and dropped all expression from his face. Making him look unreadable as he regarded the lady dragon sitting across the table from him. The dragon took another long pull of her pipe before continuing with smoke laced words. "How well they have you trained, to control your tongue when they are no longer around to control the rest of you?" She flashed the youkai a smile that bared all of her needle sharp teeth. The remaining smoke of that pipe pull still oozing between her fangs as she gave a little chuckle. No longer around? Though he was quite curious he showed no reaction nor offered any response. The dragon though was not deterred by his silence as she ran the tip of that pipe over her teeth. "No comment I see? Do you not believe me then you stupid old dog? Then think about this: Why have they not retrieve you from here yet?" Her smile became more wicked as she took another long puff of her pipe before blowing the smoke in the still silent and stoic dog demons face. Forcing him to close an eye and wrinkle his nose to the stench as she continued. "How long did it take them to train you? Years? You're perhaps one of the most skilled Hunters to ever enter my lair. Weather you were a lucky catch or not, I doubt your master would just throw a powerful warrior away for a single failure."

He reflected silently over the fact that 99% of the people he met who knew of his master lied to him or tried to con him in one way or another. They all wanted information and they knew that as a Hunter he was forbidden to talk about his masters. He knew this dragon wanted more information and she was willing to try and trick him into talking just like the others. Only…he was beginning to believe her, the monks here had spiritual energy but nothing strong enough to stop him. His masters' magic would penetrate the monastery without any problem. So why wasn't he summoned back yet? His master always knew where he was, he had to know his Hunter was able bodied again. So why leave him here? His thoughts drifted back to his dream, those words: _'There is nothing more that you can do for us, you are not fit to return…'_ Those words echoed through his head as he came to the conclusion that his master was waiting for him to die.

A loud slam jolted the youkai from his clouded thoughts as his gaze snapped back into focus. He realized he was staring at the table that was now cracked in half. The Lady Dragons petite little fist in the center of the destruction, somehow while he was mulling over his thoughts his eyes dropped to the table and the dragon knew he was no longer paying attention. His gaze drifted back to her face that was contorted in annoyance as she snapped. "Don't you dare ignore me! Need I remind you that I hold your life in my hands?" He watched her calmly as the Lady Dragon effortlessly shoved the broken table out from between them. Before she rose to her feet and closed the distance between them, her small, deceptive hands closing over his cheeks and forced him to look up to her.

Deep down he wanted to slap her, she was over reacting in his opinion but he knew that she was right here. He lacked his weapons and with all the sutras and beads around the disadvantages were stacking up. He was still eerily calm about it though, about the threat and calm about the fact that a dragons face was mere inches from his own. He could not help though but notice her finger tips traced along the youkai markings that cut over his cheeks. "Why did you go to these lengths M'Lady Dragon? Did you have hopes that I would work for you instead?"

The Lady Dragons annoyed look melted away, becoming a little more smug as she looked over him. "I told you why already, you are more useful to me alive than dead. I need you to play a significant role for me, but obviously you cannot do it right now. Your masters are all gone, lost in a state of deep sleep that they could take decades to awaken from again." The Dragons beautiful aqua eyes were locked on his own as she said that, he was good at controlling his expressions and body language but the eyes were the windows to the soul. There was nothing stopping the Lady Dragon from seeing his gut reaction of disbelief in his eyes. Her words brought him a mix of wonder and fear, if she was right then his masters truly expected him to die in the dragons lair.

But he hadn't, the Lady Dragon instead threw a huge wrench in his masters plans by bringing him to this monastery and letting the monks bring him back from the brink of death. This did explain why he was never retrieved by his master, but what if the Lady Dragon was lying to him? The dragons chuckle brought him back from his thoughts again as realized that she more than likely could see the uncertainty in his eyes. He dispelled the uncertainty though when he realized how tired he was becoming of this encounter and started to notice the nagging kink that was developing in his neck due to the Dragon holding his head at an odd angle. He wanted to finish this meeting with her as soon as possible and pushed to the point of all this. "What would you have me do?"

He was still looking into her beautiful eyes and only at that moment did he realize how gorgeous there were up close. The closer they came the more enchanting they looked, he was beginning to get lost in those aqua blue colored pools when he felt her lips take his. It was far from a normal kiss, he could feel the spark of magic shoot through him and it was enough to make him jerk back to free himself from her. The Dog demon was quick to get back on his feet as he bound back from the Dragon who released him without qualms. Her chuckle though made the hair on the back of his neck stand on end as he landed in a three point crouch. Idly rubbing his lips against the back of his hand as he flashed the Lady Dragon a stern look. All he saw though was her smile as she remained where she stood.

"You do not listen too well Dog Demon, I said there is nothing you can do for me right now as your masters sleep. I do not need you until they awaken so in the meantime you can go do whatever you wish. For just as your masters can track you down anywhere, so can I." He took all that in with a curious look as he slowly pushed himself from the floor to stand up. A clawed hand coming up to begin the task of unraveling the lengths of beads and sutras from his body. He was still skeptical of all of this but ultimately he realized he didn't really care. If the Dragon wanted to use him in order to attack or kill his masters then there was little he could do to stop her. Not to mention he really lacked any will in stopping her, now a days he lacked any will as he lacked any purpose of his own. He was here because others put him there, this Dragon included. It was a fact he had come to accept.

As the beads clattered to the floor the dog demon responded in a soft tone. "So then I can expect to see you when the time comes?" The Dragon at first ignored his question as she made her way back to the cushion she was occupying before. Sitting down as she opened a small , ornate jar and picked up a little more tobacco to add to her pipe. "You can also call to me, though I offer no guarantee that I will always answer." To him that answer was a useless piece of information as he really didn't think he'd ever want to call her, but the youkai made a mental note of it regardless as he pulled off the last string of beads and tossed them into the large pile.

His golden eyes gazed back to the Lady Dragon who seemed more interested in her pipe at the moment than him and decided that was her way of telling him that she was finished. He was glad to see her ignore him, as odd as that was, it meant that he had no further reason to stay in this monastery. "Fare well then M'lady Dragon, Till we meet again." He bid to her, knowing she wouldn't bother to respond anyway and feeling very indifferent about it anyway. He started his way towards one of the large chambers' windows. Pulling aside the decorative curtains that blocked out the view to the beautiful Tibetan country side.

He placed a foot on the window sill as he judged the jump he would need to make, taking a moment though before leaping out to steal a glance at the Dragon. Her beautiful eyes were locked on him and she wore a little smile of contentment that he could not miss. For a second or two he flashed a little smile back to her, though he let it betrayed nothing of what he felt. Before he pitched forward and leapt from the window.

Three months later...

After spending most of the day in the hot sun the cold water felt wonderful on his bare skin. He sat on a smooth stone under a waterfall fed by a mountain stream. It was ice cold, but the Inu no Taishou was so overheated from the sun that he disrobed almost completely to relax under it. With his head bowed a little from the deluge he idly watched the water as it splashed over his arms and pooled some in the palms of his hands. He reflected on his time spent in Tibet, all three months so far of it. He'd left the monastery with a fair amount of skepticism about what the Dragon had told him. He had a firm belief that his master would summon him back soon enough so he took refuge in the Tibetan wilderness and waited. As time ticked on though with out so much as a dream from his master, his skepticisms began to wane and the dragons words on that day were beginning to sound more believable.

Lifting his head up he let the water flatten his silvery bangs down over his face as he drew a deep breath, he still lad lingering doubts about what she had told him. She made it quite clear that she intended to use him to her own ends, so he expected her to try and feed him a little false information for her benefit. Though coming to the realization that his master would never allow him this much time away without a hunt swung his opinion in the other direction. The Dragons kiss came with a spell, he felt it cast the moment her cold lips met his and he wondered what magic she had woven over him. Was it something that would sever his bond with is master? He closed his eyes and focused on that bond, only to sense nothing in return. It felt like he was holding one end of a rope that had gone slack. While he mulled over that water started to trickle into his ear, effectively snapping him back to reality and causing him to lean out of the waterfalls reach and shake his head vigorously. A golden eye opened under his now messy bangs to gaze out over the forest that rimmed the pool. Coming to the decision that it was time to leave Tibet.

Out on the shore he took the time to comb his fingers through his long silvery-white hair while he thought. He knew he had no reason to stay in Tibet, in fact it was better if he left considering he was depleting the local cattle population and scaring the neighboring villages around him. The very first thought in his head the moment he leapt from that monastery window was over steak. The vegetarian diet he had to accept while under the monks care did him no favors and left him hungering for his normal diet. Which lead him to kill perhaps one to many cattle from the local villages herds. He was amazed no one had come looking for the culprit of the missing cattle yet, but before any real trouble arose it was best that he went on his way. So he gathered what few personal items he had into a back pack as he got ready to leave.

But the big question loomed over his head, where should he go? He could technically go almost anywhere, but the tough part was deciding where? He worked on a tangle as he considered returning 'home' to Japan, but then what would he do? He wasn't sure how long it had been since he fell into his situation, was there anyone there who remembered him? Was his eldest son Sesshoumaru still alive or was he long gone? He never had a definite answer on if his youngest son, Inuyasha survived to adulthood either. Though even if they were both still alive, did he have any good reason to step back into their lives? He picked at another loch of hair, realizing that no, Japan was not his home anymore, there was nothing there to return to. So perhaps he could go explore china for a little while? He'd been to the land a few times while he was a warlord but he did not see very much due to the nature of his visits. When dealing with invading enemies it was not a good idea to go sight seeing. Then again there were some interesting lands to the north, he could see Mongolia, The Kingdom of Korea, or maybe he could travel further west and see Europe?

With a little smile on his face at his new found mission he took a moment to bound his hair up behind his head before pulling a hood over to hide his demonic features. Rising to his feet he fixed his Indian style robe before picking up a backpack with his few belongings and started off on his journey.

Chapter 2 Owari


	3. The Road Least Traveled

_Authors Note: Hello and thank you for reading! The reviews are encouraging and I appreciate them greatly. It's my first shot at writing a fan fic and unfortunately I am limited to writing on weekends so updates are a little slow. I basically put them out when they are done so I cannot stick to a set schedule. But I thank you for your patience in advance!_

_Quick Vocab: I'm trying to keep the Fic as plain English as possible but there are a few things that are best left without translation. Here are some Japanese words and meanings you'll come across._

_* Inu no Taishou/Inutaishou: Basically means Dog General, this is his title, it's not his name._

_* Youkai: A name that covers Demons/spirits/ect. Inutaishou is a youkai._

_* Daiyoukai: Rough translation is "Great Demon". Reflecting the Inutaishous status._

_Disclaimer: I do not own the canon characters in this story._

Chapter 3: The Road Least Traveled.

The oxen both stared in his direction with expressions of fear, their heads were raised, their nostrils were flared and their ears were perked, but the two young farmers controlling the beasts of burden were experts at keeping the skittish animals from bolting. Thankfully for him, neither of the men were wise enough to understand why their oxen were spooked. The sight though of the men fighting with the two frightened animals that pulled their mud-plow was an amusing one to the Inu No Taishou as he rested at the base of a tree just out of their view. The old Daiyoukai of the west smirked a little before he quietly resumed his work on fixing a set of antique looking glasses, carefully crimping the silvery wire frame around the round lenses.

While he worked he reflected a little on his small discoveries since traveling from Tibet. One was the fact that China had changed immensely since he last walked it's lands centuries ago. The country now was an interesting mix of old world and new, even now as he looked up to the Oxen that plowed the muddy field, a new looking car rumbled past on the dirt road that rimmed the farmers field. His golden eyes watched the ugly looking car as it trailed a dust cloud up the road before he reached up and pinched his nose shut. Bracing himself as the foul reek of the exhaust washed down the hill side and reached his tree, he wondered idly how the humans driving the contraption could stand the smell and awful sounds the car made.

Another interesting discovery he'd made was that demons were so scarce that he had yet to run into one, he even made a small effort to seek out some of the more well known demons that hunted rice patties with little success. Though he knew demons still existed, they have to have still existed as human suffering and evil, which was the primary source of demons, was still ever present in the world. As the reek of the car exhaust passed he released his nose and snuffed a little to clear it before he resumed work on the glasses. Around him lay the tools of his 'trade neatly in two piles, at least what he could retrieve back from the Tibetan two piles were what was salvageable and what was broken beyond repair. Unfortunately a majority of his recovered belongings were in the unsalvageable pile, leaving only a few items he could keep. Thanks to the Lady Dragon his body and much of everything he carried with him was mangled horribly in their battle. His body required nearly a full year to repair itself, much of what he carried though could not be saved like he was. He wasn't upset though as it seems the most important of his tools remained either intact or repairable.

Holding up the glasses he gave them one last look over before he went ahead and slipped them onto his face. Fitting the arms lightly behind his pointed ears as he rested them lightly on the bridge of his nose. After a few bobs of his head he was satisfied that the glasses were fitted properly to him once again and he looked down as he made a little content noise. He plucked the glasses off his face and slid them carefully into a velvet satchel as he gazed over to his remaining tools. His eyes searching the pile before coming to rest on a glittering, blue crystal hooked onto a silvery chain. Reaching down he used a single claw to hook a hold of a loop of the necklace before gently pulling it out of the pile. The blue crystal caught a little of the morning sun and shimmered softly as it was lifted up and laid to rest on his palm a moment while he inspected it for damage. Making another content sound when he did not so much as find a scratch on the crystals surface.

When he returned to the Monastery shortly before leaving Tibet he discovered that all his belongings, including every last piece of his shattered armor was recovered and sitting in a room filled with purifying incense. The head monk had sensed the ancient magic resonating from the items and fearing it ordered the incense lit. Unfortunately for the monk those smelly sticks of bark were not very effective against anything more menacing than a moth and he proved that as he used two pieces of tissue paper to stuff up his own nose. Plugging it up tightly before he braved the smoke filled room to rifle through his things, leaving the monks to watch him with an obvious look of surprise etched on their faces. He further surprised them as he stepped back out of the room without his twin Hunter's blades or the remaining armor. Instead he hauled out an arm load of items that looked either destroyed or harmless. When queried as to why he skipped over the weapons he responded simply by asking the monks if they could watch over the remaining items as he had no need of them on his journey.

At first look it was an innocent request, those blades possessed a bloody history that he did not wish to carry with him any more than necessary. Yet there was a sinister purpose behind his request as well...If the lady dragon was wrong and his masters summoned him, he would need to return to this monastery in order to wipe out every last Monk living there. A task that would be much easier for him if his weapons were already here when the time came. He was very grateful to the monks who had gone against their own instincts to take care of his injuries and assisted him with his recovery that took that nearly full year. Unfortunately his master would not allow him to leave anyone who had gotten close to him alive. Regardless weather they were truly a threat or not, it was the possible knowledge of their existence that his master feared. The fact that he could not be sure that the monks had not discovered something that they shouldn't know sealed their fates and there was nothing he could do to save them.

Lucky for the Monastery and him, the Lady Dragon's story was holding true as he'd not sensed even the tiniest pull from his master in months, for now those wicked swords would remain unused. For him that gave him only a small sense of relief, he knew he should feel happy for this freedom, but the reality was that he was alone in the world now. He was left completely to his mixed feelings, conflicting emotions and some lingering confusion about his unexpected situation. Despite the grisly work demanded from him, his master took good care of him in return. He was always reminded that he was valued and needed, he was regarded and treated like a samurai more than a servant. But he knew what course the life of a Hunter ran; so he wasn't too surprised that he was sent to die in a dragons lair. What did surprise him though was how sudden it was and the fact his master also vanished without a trace right after. It left him with many questions and curiosities, though he found himself hard pressed to care much. Alive or dead, free or detained neither side of the fence had green grass in this case.

Instead of green grass all he could see was mud, or at least the muddy field that the farmers were plowing, the men coaxing their skittish animals along unaware of the demon watching from the trees. He watched the oxen that pulled the plow with a little amusement, the beasts knew there was something dangerous nearby but their handlers forced them to continue working despite their fear. It was while he was watching this little scene that realization struck him, the reason why he was feeling so lost and confused. It was the sudden change that pulled the rug out from under him, he had lived as a hunter for hundreds of years, he'd become adjusted to the horrors and was actually comfortable with it. He had a home, he had a purpose, he was wanted though it was for twisted reasons. Now that he was out here on his own that freedom felt…wrong, he knew he should be enjoying this but he could not shake the feelings of being abandoned and lonely. It was pathetic and sad that a youkai who had once been so proud was reduced to feeling like a lost dog.

He gave a soft sigh as he chewed on that little realization, a clawed hand scratching the back of his head as he made a discontent sound. He almost considered staying with the monks, but figured that was a bad idea, the all vegetarian diet would eventually make him sick and the idea of shaving his head was out of the question! He didn't care about much in this world but he did care about his hair, a little vanity never hurt. He smirked at the thought as he looked back to the crystal in his hand, running his thumb lightly over its faceted surface. Maybe he wasn't such a lost cause yet, these last few months of wandering western Chinas rural country side had felt unreal for him. Sleeping in the wilderness, traveling the country side, hunting down his dinner, scaring the daylights out of farm animals, it all felt like a dream. It reminded him of his younger days before he became a warlord, when responsibilities were not weighing him down and his puppy-mischief was the stuff of fantastic stories.

It was a pleasant little memory that he tried to hold onto despite the fact that he knew this freedom was not by any means permanent. It would one day be gone before he knew it and there was no hope of that ever changing, with that in mind he refocused on the necklace in his hand. Idly fiddling with the clasp before drawing the jewelry around his neck. As he fastened it into place a change came over him, his silvery hair deepened to a silken black, his claws and markings vanished from sight and his golden eyes deepened into a vivid blue color instead. Almost fully masking his appearance from human eyes, his new look coupled with the robes he'd been given at the monastery though made him look like a run-away acolyte. He smirked a little as he looked over himself, with nothing else to wear he had to journey to the near by village and search for clothing that looked a little more normal. He hoped he could blend in long enough to accomplish his goal before he could raise any suspicions. He wanted to see how the world had changed while he was gone, see how both humans and the demons that hunted them adapted and evolved over time. With his current situation he had found himself with some time on his hands, time he should not waste by sitting in one spot when there was a whole world to explore. With that in mind he began to gather up his meager possessions together for the trip ahead.

The Village streets were bustling with people on foot or on bicycles, occasionally a car rumbled past bouncing along the cobble stone streets. Many of the vehicles were zig-zagging to avoid the wave of people that spilled over the sidewalks and were forced to walk in the streets. He never remembered seeing any place this crowded before as he picked his way along the edge of the river of humanity. Catching a look shot his way from curious eyes as he passed by them. He looked a little out of place, though he wasn't alone as he saw folks of the older generation dressed in old world clothing mingling with people of the younger generation, who were dressed in jeans and western dresses. It was such an interesting mix that the Dog Demon had to marvel a little at as he made his way along. He stopped at a curb and was about to cross the street when he heard the shout of several tiny voices in unison. His gaze wandered over a shoulder to he found the source of the cries.

A group of people were gathered around under a tree, watching five young boys in bright orange outfits practicing kung fu routines under the watchful eye of their teacher. His curiosity piqued he turned and started over to join the crowd; quietly he studied the young boys as they managed to execute strikes and lunges in near perfect unison. Their teacher calling out coachings to his little wards every now and again to keep them in good form. He smiled a little as he watched the boys take in their teachers words and improve their routines, showing that despite their small size they were very strong. Martial arts in all its forms possessed a magic of its own. With proper training, solid understanding and a lot of practice martial arts could turn even the smallest, most frail body into a formidable weapon. For that reason the youkai had both a healthy level of respect and admiration for it. Although he had little use for martial arts himself, he did enjoy seeing it in action in it's full, true art form.

As he watched the children continue a flash of color caught his eye. Casually he looked up and noticed a woman standing just beyond the practicing children. She was wearing a single piece Chinese robe of dark red, decorated with a very beautiful embroidery scene of song birds. Her black hair was very long and hung in a silken rope from where it was bound back behind her head and her bangs framed her rather pretty looking face. She clutched a painted silk and lace parasol in her petite looking hands to protect her from the sun. He realized he was staring when her gaze rose to meet is, and finding that he was caught he flashed her a little apologetic smile and turned his eyes back to the kung fu demonstration still going on between them. Till he noticed a little movement, drawing his attention back to the woman. With her hand in the air she made a little beckoning motion towards him. A thick brow arched for a moment at the woman's boldness and at first he thought it was a mistake. But when a minute passed and she made the little pawing gesture again towards him he realized that there was no mistake here.

He pondered over weather or not he should honor such a request, this woman was doing this silly gesture to a complete stranger after all. He thought that her actions were a little rude, but then again his staring at her was probably perceived at rude too. He gave a little snuff after a few moments of deliberating before he cautiously extracted himself from the audience and made his way around the training little boys. His gaze locked on the woman as he approached her, noticing as he came near that she possessed two different colored eyes. One was an emerald green color, the other a mahogany brown, from a distance both were dark enough that it was difficult to notice but when one came closer, the eye colors were an interesting surprise. He pondered over that curiosity as he stopped before her and offered a little bow of greeting, holding off any verbal greetings until he could learn what dialect of Chinese she used.

"I could not help noticing how your dressed in rags yet carry such a noble, if ancient air around you." Those first few words caused him to freeze in place, his blue eyes widening a little as his stomach turned uncomfortably. Though it wasn't what she said that disturbed the youkai so much, instead it was the tone of voice speaking that made him feel a little sick. It was a voice that was far too deep for any woman, even if it did hold a very female sounding note to it there was no mistaking the fact that it definately was not female. He took a moment to better investigate, the more he looked the more closely he could see the little details that finished pushing him to a conclusion…he'd been staring at a man all this time. His initial expression of shock sunk down into a flat look, how could he, the Inu no Taishou, after years of living with Sesshoumau, not be able to tell a feminine looking man from a woman? Then again it had been many years since he'd even seen his eldest son but there was still no excuse!

As he stood there and mulled over how he'd been fooled just now, his flat looked expression going unnoticed by the man as he looked the Dog demon over head to toe. His bland gaze following the man as he wandered a little circle around him, the inspection coupled with the impinging embarrassment made him a little self conscious and fidgety. Shifting his weight from one foot to the other and flicking back a lengthy lock of black over his shoulder as he waited for the man to finish his inspection before he could answer. "I'm sorry to say but I am afraid you are mistaken, I am more humble than that." He followed that with another little apologetic smile, whatever this fellow had mistaken him for the youkai wanted to dispel immediately. He was only beginning to shake off the embarrassment from his earlier folly when the man stepped right up to his chest tilted his head up to look him in the face. His blue eyes widening a little as he leaned back and raised an arm between them as he grumbled. "Excuse me, do you mind taking a st-" the smile on the mans face caused him to stop mid sentence as a sweat drop formed.

"Indeed you say you are humble but those eyes tell a different story."

The mans words threw the youkai for a loop and his questioning word of "huh?" was ignored as the man stepped back to give them space at last and giggled.

" My-my! Where are my manners! I am very sorry for my prying, maybe I should introduce myself?" He smiled to the still confused looking youkai as he tucked his parasol under an arm before he bowed in the Chinese style of holding a fist into his palm and continued. " My name is Huaa Tong, it's a pleasure to meet you." He was relieved when Tong finally stepped back and gave them some space. That smile of his from up close made his blood run cold.

He drew a breath to compose himself as the man introduced himself, the youkai giving a soft nod to the man before he answered. "Nice to meet you Huaa Tong." He smiled a little and stood there a moment as Tong straightened up and looked to him expectantly.

The silence hung heavily in the air between them for a few very long minutes, he began to feel like he was missing something here and he was starting to grow tired with the way Tong managed to make him feel embarrassed. What in the seven hells did he want with him anyway..? When his head cleared a little the thought occurred to him and he gave a little exhale, how stupid of him, of course now he realized what Tong was waiting for.

"My apologies, I do not mean to be rude but if you expecting to hear my name, I am sorry to say that I do not possess one." Tong tilted his head a little and tapped a slender finger on his chin as his thin lips pulled into a little frown.

"No name at all? What do people call you then?" The youkai blinked a moment, a smirk creeping over his face as he tilted his head and took on a further amused expression.

"Quite a few things actually, some good and some bad." In truth he never told a single soul what his birth given name was, so he never used it, because of that he had a menagerie of nick names and titles, all of which at the moment were moot and useless to him.

"I'll call you Xaiobai then!" Tong answered in a happy tone as he raised a corner of his sleeve to hide his bright smile. The youkai's amused expression sinking to one of confusion again as he stared at Tong, wondering why he picked the name of 'Little Albino'? He shot a quick glance at his hair to make sure it was still raven black before he looked back to Tong.

" I beg your pardon?" He had been called some strange names over the time and normally he didn't care much about, but 'Xaiobai' sounded like a name you'd give a pet which irked him a little bit. That creepy smile returned to Tongs face causing his sweat drop to return and a thick brow to arch. Tong held his smile and nodded to him before holding out a hand to beckon him along.

"Yes, I think that Xaiobai is a name befitting you, now I must invite you to my home. It looks like the road has not been too kind to you so far and we do have a few things to discuss." The other dark brow arched to join the first at Tongs bold request and he idly folded his arms over his chest and closed his eyes as he took on an indifferent expression.

"I must ask you Huaa Tong, why should I follow someone who I only just met to their home of all places? Please satisfy my curiosity as to what would possess you to single me, a complete stranger, out so suddenly?"

Tong paused mid step then and only turned enough to look over a shoulder, he gave a little wink to the youkai and raised a finger before his knowing smile.

"What ever you are using to hide yourself, it fails to conceal your pointed ears and your fangs." His indifferent look slowly hardened as Tong pointed out the flaws of the crystal's magic, although the spell was far from perfect, someone would need to purposely look for those details to actually see them. The fact Tong suspected that he was using a spell and knew what to look for when he had found those flaws meant that his interest in him was not mere curiosity. Holding that indifferent expression he exhaled through his clenched teeth, accepting the fact that he was discovered he surrendered and growled lowly to the man.

"Fine then, lead the way."

Chapter 4 coming soon...


	4. Tea for Three

Chapter 3: Tea for Three

He wasn't sure what tried at his patience more, the thought that he was assumed to be filthy even though he washed up in the river last night, or the fact that his host's home and staff looked just as flamboyant as he did. In fact the servant that had lead him to the bathing room looked so feminine that youkai was again caught by surprise when he learned the truth. The bath though was a welcome distraction and a chance to rest and gather his scattered thoughts. The Inu no taishou slowly sank up to his chin in the bath water, his blue eyes roaming around the room once again to take in everything around him. The tub he washed up in was a large marble piece, the room itself was decorated with various pieces from different dynasties through out Chinese history. Silk scroll artwork hung on the walls, beautiful pottery was arranged in the corners and plants hung from the ceiling near the high window that fed light into the room. On any other day he would stop to marvel at the beauty all around him, but due to his on-guard mood at the moment, thanks to the days strange events, he had little interest in the artwork around him.

The warmth of the water soothed his frayed nerves as he savored this little bit of peace, though his thoughts drifted back to his current situation. He was still suspicious about being singled out on the street like that, pointed ears giving him away or not. It felt like Tong had been looking for him and he could not shake the feeling that something was going on here. At first he had thought Tong's antics were due to a miss understanding, until he stepped into his host's home. From the beginning he could feel something strange in the air. When he first met the house staff he realized they were not quite human, they looked ...disturbingly female... But that could not hide their scent from him. Tong on the other hand looked and smelled human, try as he might he could not find any evidence that would hint otherwise.

He gave a soft sigh as he sat himself up in the bath water, a hand reaching up to draw his thick black hair behind him. Maybe the fact that this place seemed like a home for flamboyant flower boys was disturbing him so much that he was put on edge? Or perhaps the fact that he knew nothing about Huaa Tong bothered him? His thoughts turned to his host then, Tong was too friendly for his liking, either he was truly a fool and had no idea that he'd invited a demon into his home or he was perfectly aware of what he'd done and had something in mind for him. Both possibilities left him feeling curious and fueled his need to stay on guard.

He looked at the steaming bath water as his hand broke the surface, his finger tips quite pruned by now. Taking that as a sign that the bath was over, he started to gather himself up to climb out of the bath.

Sitting on the edge of the tub he gathered up his long black hair and started to wring it out little by little. He looked over to a large mirror hanging on the wall, his gaze falling on the reflection of himself there. The man who stared back looked like he was in his thirties with lean muscle over a strong frame and black hair that reached the back of his legs in length. He slowly rose from the edge of the tub, grabbing a towel along the way to draw around his waist as he made his way to stand before the mirror. He studied his reflection as he'd done many times before, his blue eyes shimmering softly under the damp curtain of his black bangs as droplets of bathwater trickled down his face and along his neck. Strands of damp hair clinging to his shoulders and his strong chest, he reached a hand up to run a finger over his cheek, drawing those unruly strands behind a pointed ear. To everyone else he must have looked like a handsome human, but when he looked upon himself, he saw a stranger. He had no idea who this man staring back at him was, where he came from or how he ended up suffering such a miserable fate. Because of this he always hated looking at his reflection while he wore the crystal, he hated looking at that man while knowing that he was an unlucky soul.

He drew a breath to diffuse his rising anger and cautiously reached out to take a hold of the mirror. Pulling it gently off the wall before turning it around and setting it down on the floor. Pushing back his distaste in mirrors he distracted himself with mundane thoughts about drying off and grooming. Though while he was walking over to the bathroom seats his gaze dropped down to the new set of clothes left for him to dress in by his host and stopped dead in his tracks!

The articles of clothing left for him looked like they harkened back to the days of Chinese imperial court. Two full lengths robes with flowing sleeves, the inner was a soft pink and the outer robe was a wine color. The robes came with an ornate looking, wide belt to keep them closed, along with a few other decorative hair accessories and some jewelry.

He reached down to take a hold of the outer robe and lifted it up, staring at it a moment as he realized it looked similar to what the flower-boys were running around with in this house. Only this garment lacked the floral and avian prints everyone else here seemed to be flaunting. He gave a little mushroom sigh and closed his eyes as he grumbled something under his breath. At least this wasn't as bad as what he'd have to wear before. He was no stranger to Chinese garb, in his years as a Demon Lord he'd found himself many times in the country and a few of those time he had to dress in Noble Court attire. Back then in the long single-piece robes were worn over frilly silk which popped out of the collar and sleeves and a decorative obi was wrapped around the wearers waist adorned with jewelry.

Unfortunately for the Daiyoukai, back then noble men were required to wear their hair up, using delicate and highly decorative pins to hold their hair in place. With his pale complexion and youkai facial markings he looked like a woman walking around in a dress and was embarrassed to even be seen in it! He chuckled a little to himself as he remembered spending one of those days puffing out his tails as far as they would poof so he could at least hide behind them when he turned his back to people. That amusing little memory vanished as the thought of his tails brought a little ache to his gut, subconsciously he reached a hand behind him and scratched at his furless back. His tails were long gone and the memory of there absence left him feeling naked.

Slowly shaking his head he dispelled the memory of his lost fur and the awkward feeling that rose from it's now really noticeable absence. Instead he prepared himself for the new awkward feeling as he got up from his chair and started to get dressed in his new robes. Perhaps this time he'd not look so female as this outfit was very much toned down from a noble courts look. Not to mention he also lacked his youkai appearance, but in the end that only slightly dampened the feeling of embarrassment. Because of that he took his time getting dressed and drying out his hair, feeling no regrets about forcing his host to wait.

He had to admit that he felt much better after the hot bath and the new clothing, even if his robes did make him feel somewhat self-conscious. The texture of the fabric and the lightness of the outfit felt comfortable none the less, he just needed to remember that he was walking around in a long skirt. He's also given in some what and chosen a jeweled accessory to go with the outfit; his signature pony tail pulled through a silver hair cuff, held in place by two hair pins adorn with tear drop shaped jewels. The rest of the accessories given to him were left behind in the bathroom as he really had no interested in jewelry. The jewels of his hair piece chiming softly as he walked along the hall and followed the scent of his host as it lead him off to a set of double doors that were left ajar.

Once beyond the doors he was greeted by the sight and smells of flowers and plants in what looked like a sun room. In the center was a set of ornate looking white chairs and a table covered in various snacks and treats. Seated there was Tong himself sipping lightly at a cup of tea, looking very womanly as he was doing so, the sight made him stop in his tracks and shake his head. He took another step closer to the table and immediately felt a strong presence, as if he just walked right into a cloud of a very powerful aura. An aura that felt so heavy and dense that he could only compare it to the feeling of standing under a waterfall. As he took another cautious step closer to his host the presence intensified so much that the air felt electrically charged, causing the hairs on the back of his neck to rise.

His gaze wandered around the room searching for the source, completely ignoring his host at the moment as he tried to pinpoint where this heavy cloud of aura was coming from. Though that did not last long as Tong noticed his guest standing there with a discontent look as he sniffed at the air only to realize that the scent of the greenery and flowers around him were effectively throwing him off of any other possible scent in the air. "Something wrong Xaio bai ?" Tong voice rose from the table he was seated at, the youkai's annoyed little expression meeting his concerned a moment later.

There was something powerful in this room and he couldn't see nor smell it, he was in no mood to tolerate Tong's little pet name for him right now. He flashed his host a glare as he responded with a deep, growling tone that forewarned of his quickly rising temper. "Do not play games with me Huaa Tong, right now is not the time to be blissfully unaware of this aura. Something is in here with us, what is it?"

Tong shifted a little in his seat to turn around and smiled a little to his guest, completely unfazed by the youkai's growl and growing tension. "Ah I see, so that is what has your fur standing up on end." Tong addressed him in a soft tone before setting his tea cup down. " Please be calm, I assure you here and now that no one here will harm you." He giggled softly before beckoning the youkai over to the table with that same little pawing motion. He carried with him a frown as he walked towards the table and soon realized that Tong was not alone. What looked like a five year old girl sat in another chair near him, she was so short that she could barely look above the table. Yet her little arms managed to reach up over the table top to collect a cookie from the plate before her. The little girl was garbed in what looked like imperial baby clothes of green and gold trim. She wore a beautiful, jewel laden little ornament in her soft black hair and earrings of little dragons clutching jewels. She was currently trying to drink a cup of tea with one hand while holding onto the cookie with the other, which he could see evidence of stains on her clothes that she'd been quite unsuccessful so far.

He'd seen this before, in his line of work it was not uncommon to find the most vicious of monsters hiding in the forms of innocent looking young children. Using those forms to prey on their victims parental instincts, the more innocent the child looked, the nastier the creature. The fact that this one seemed very innocent and very clumsy meant that she could possibly be the source of the aura that he felt in the room. He willed himself to calm down as he moved towards the table and gave a little bow to the child before his blue eyes drifted to Tong at his side. "May I ask who this is Huaa Tong?" The little child smiled up to him as she set the tea cup down and accidentally spilled more of the liquid over the table cloth. Tong set down his tea cup and motioned the youkai to a chair just as his assistant came over with a cup of hot tea to set before their guest.

"This is my niece Cai Bao! Isn't she adorable?" Tong gave a proud smile to the little girl who had her mouth filled with cookie at the moment. She gazed up mid chew and gave another big, half-chewed cookie smile to the youkai.

Yep, that was the look of a massively powerful monster right there, he could see the power just oozing out of her, wait…no that is just cookie mush. Despite the flat look on his face at the sight of the messy child, he managed to return the little girls smile before he sat down in the offered chair and accepted his tea. " I see, indeed she is quite adorable Hauu Tong. She has quite a resemblance to you." He kept that little smile up as he plucked the cover off his tea cup and carefully sniffed at the contents. Tong beamed softly to the praise for the little girl, clasping his hands before him.

"Ah doesn't she? I was so happy when I realized she came to visit! When I told her that you were here she was so excited!" Tong's tone was filled with both pride and glee for a moment, before a flatter tone suddenly came out of seemingly nowhere. " By the way the tea is not poisoned, if I wanted to poison you I would have slipped something into the bathwater." The youkai froze the moment he heard that, his tea cup half way to his lips as those blue eyes rolled up to look at his host. As usual that smile of Tong's bothered the youkai, but he over came that disturbed feeling and forced himself to regain his composer once more, setting his teacup back down.

"Do I have a reason to fear poisoning Huaa Tong? I was enjoying the aroma of this tea, I have not enjoyed White Tea of this quality in a very long time. This particular cup is quite fragrant, so for me this is a treat I wish to fully enjoy." With that smooth reply he brushed off the accusation, even though Tong was right, it was a habit of his to carefully sniff anything he was given to consume for poisons.

"Ahh I see you are a well cultured creature Xaio bai, this tea came from the stock normally reserved for the Emperor himself. " Tong smiled and picked up a cookie to nip on while he watched his guests. The table fell into silence except for the loud chewing of the little girl, it began to grate a little as his nerves as the moments past and nothing progressed. After what felt like an eternity of silence he set down his cup of tea and finally spoke up.

"What are you after Huaa Tong? I find it hard to believe you picked me up off the streets just to offer me tea." He didn't mean to use such a flat, purposeful tone this time, but the situation and the silence was wearing away at his already quite frayed patience.

Tong took his time to finish another cookie before he looked ready to answer him, once more his host flashed that unsettling smile that also helped to wear his patience down even further. "Xiaobai what if I told you I did? I am sure you feel it around you, not a single person living in this house is human." The pet name was also not helping his mood much but he remained calm for the moment as he gave his host a look that silently encouraged him to continue. "I noticed you the moment you arrived in he village, there was an air around you that I have only seen once before."

Tong set down his own cup of tea and propped his elbows on the table, resting his chin on his folded hands as he continued with a serious tone. " You hide your aura and even your scent from the world quite well, but it is not fool proof and people like I can still see a little bit of it. " He paused there and gave his guest a few moments to absorb that little bit of information as he picked up a napkin and reached over to carefully clean up the little girl who managed to gum cookie all over the top of her royal outfit as he resumed his answer. " When I first saw you I felt that I had met you somewhere before and when I looked into your eyes I could see you were very lost. It sounds silly perhaps but knew I could not leave you out there to wander around aimlessly."

The youkai sat back in his chair a little and idly watched Tong as he finished cleaning up the little girl. The last part of his explanation leaving him to wonder a little, he was almost certain this fellow was mistaken here. He would have defintely remembered a character like him, never mind the fact that for a long while he did not have the luxury to socialize with anyone. He closed his blue eyes then and gave an exhaling little sigh before he answered. " Huaa Tong I am sorry to disappoint you, but I think you are mistaken. I do not remember every seeing someone like you before today."

Tong's gaze remained locked on his guest as his face took on a contemplative look, beside him the little girl made a squeak sound as she dropped her teacup and watched it roll off the table. For him that was a welcomed little distraction as the eyes of his host felt like they were burning holes into him. Leaning over he reached for the tea cup that had to his surprise somehow managed not to break when it hit the floor, plucking it up as he sat up in his chair and looked over to his host. Tong's pensive look was gone by then, replaced with that overly cheerful and quite creepy smile as he reached out a hand to take the cup with a nod of thanks. "I understand, it's very strange to have someone just come up to you like I have today. But I assure you that your suspicions of ill intent are unnecessary, I mean you no harm and as such I will not stop you if you choose to leave. But let me at least invite you to stay here at the house? From the look of you before I assume you have no place to go."

He never was one for charity, he could clearly fend for himself as he had for most of his life, so he balked a little at the thought that his host felt he was some lost dog in need of a home. He often looked at any gifts he received with some suspicion, but then again Tong was right. He really had no other place to go really and he also had nothing better to do. He had an opportunity here to further investigate this house which had already presented a few mysteries to him. If he chose to leave instead he would basically be left without either a direction or idea of what to do. His gaze drifted back down to his cup of tea as he considered his situation here, he did not trust Tong, yet he did want to know what was going on in his strange little fun house. It was a foolish reason to subject himself to potential danger but at the moment he was not sure if he cared, he gave his little tea cup a wry smirk as he thought.

'_Curiosity may have killed the cat but it was boredom that would get the dog into trouble. '_

He gazed back up then to his host who was giving him a curious stare by now, the youkai took the opportunity to flash a little smile back to Tong as he answered. "Perhaps Huaa Tong I will take up your offer, as you are right, I am alone in this land currently." Tong closed his eyes and gave a little nod, a curiously relieved expression on his face that made the youkai wonder a little bit. His curiosity deepening as he watched his host wave down one of the servants, a young man dressed in similar robes adorned with floral patterns and whispered something into his ear. He tilted his head a little as he witnessed the smile growing on the servants face before he turned around and started out of the room in a hurry. The sight brought a little pang of worry into his gut, as he gave a second thought to what he had just gotten himself into. A thick brow arched in a silent question as he looked over to his host.

" I asked my staff to set up a room for you, in the meantime if you so wish you have full run of the house. Make yourself at home." Tong smiled contently as he waived a hand to the house behind him before he folded his hands and mused in a lower tone. " Just please keep in mind that you are not alone here." That creepy smile returned to Tong's face and this time the youkai decided to meet it with his own small knowing smile as he picked up his tea cup in a little salute as he answered.

"I look forward to seeing the other residents here."

The decision to stay at Tong's residence was the right one after all, for soon after their little tea time ended a roll of thunder shook the roof above their heads, warning of an approaching storm. The flashes of lightening from overhead lit up the windows in the hall the Inu no Taishou was standing in. Given the freedom of roaming the house he promptly took up on it and went off to investigate the place he would be staying in for at least a couple of days to his hearts content. He walked off down the hall that he suspected ran along the back of the house. Every fifteen feet or so there was a door and a window lining the hall and at first everything seemed normal.

But after two or three doors and window pairings he began to notice something a miss about the hallway. He stopped before one particular door which had a trickle of very cold air oozing out from beneath it and gazed out the window that was beside it. Outside he could see the skies opening up and unleashing a heavy downpour, but the curtain of heavy rain only somewhat obscured the sight of a lawn dotted with flower beds and vegetable gardens. There was nothing outside that would produce the icy chill he was getting from under the nearby door. It confirmed his suspicion then that these doors did not necessarily lead outside. Those bright blue eyes flicked then to the door beside him as he reached out a hand to press over the polished wooden surface. He could feel the tiniest twinge of magic there, old magic but definitely powerful magic, he tilted his head a little and moved forward, his hand sliding down to the door knob then as he turned it and slowly opened the door.

What greeted him on the other side of the door was a pine forest that was experiencing a light snow fall. The question that rose in his mind was weather the magic he sensed was the doorway to another world or was the world spawned from the magic? He pondered that question as he ventured into the 'forest', an icy cold wind going right through his Chinese robes as his thin slippers easily sunk through the freshly fallen snow. He gave a little shiver as he paused and looked about, keeping a wary eye on the door he left open behind him. The worry that it would shut and leave him trapped inside weighing a little on his mind, but not enough to make him turn around and abandon his discovery just yet. He caught a scent as the cold wind whipped up again and he looked over in time to spy movement through the trees. He crouched down to make himself less visible to whatever was lurking there till his own vision was obscured as the wind caught his hair and pulled it over his face with a gust.

Reaching up he tried to paw back his hair from his face, a blue orb peeking out of the mess of black hair in time to see the creature, what looked like a large emu , wait it looked like a chicken, but it was the size of an emu? The creatures head definitely looked like a roosters on top of a long neck and body of an Emu. The bird stood maybe 7 or eight feet high at the shoulder. It's small wings almost comical looking and its feathers had a brownish yellow color to them. He blinked a moment and watched the bird as it stopped at the edge of the trees, two other birds popping out soon enough to join it. To him the three birds looked like over size chickens with plenty of meat on them, he gave the three creatures a fang baring, predatory smile as he mused out loud to them. " I know where to go when I crave a midnight snack now. " He followed that with a sinister sounding chuckle that effectively spooked the birds. Sending all three whirling around on their long legs and running off in a flurry of flapping wings, flying feathers and squawks!

His little bit of fun over with he stood back up and gave another, bigger shiver to the ice cold wind that whipped around him. The world here was amazing and he wanted to further investigate but if he remained in these cold winds much longer wearing these thin robes he'd be a frozen dog-icicle. Wrapping his arms around him he turned on a heel and started back for the open door, giving a relieved little noise once he stepped back into the warm air of the hall. Pausing there he took a moment to shake himself off of the snow that had settled on him before he reached over to the door. As he shut the door and tapped the bottom of his slippers free of snow he gazed off down the hall that was lined with more doors, curious and somewhat excited to see what wonders were hidden behind them. The thought that each one lead to another world was an interesting prospect to him, it meant he had a considerable amount of exploration ahead of him this day and then his gaze fell on his host who seemed to have magically appeared in the hall. Tong gave his slightly annoyed looking expression a confused look before he gazed down the snow tracked on the floor. The Flowery looking man giving an amused smile that he tried to hide behind the corner of his sleeve. "Ahh Xaio bai I see you have already met some of the creatures that live here!" He raised that sleeve a little higher when he noticed his guests annoyed look not changing. "Now-now no need to give me that look, I did tell you that you had full run of the house and I don't mean to interrupt but I wanted to tell you that your quarters are ready. "

The youkai was giving Tong a more annoyed of a look, not taking too well to that pet name he was given but his look softened some as Tong mentioned that his quarters were ready. An unpleasant though occurred to him then, he gazed back down the hall lined with doors realizing then how much this looked like a prison. " Huaa Tong, explain to me what it is you do here? What is the purpose of harboring these creatures, or me for that matter? "

Tong was ready to start down the hall and lead his guest on when the question stopped him in his tracks. He clasped is hands before him and gave the youkai standing beside him a sincere look. "You look like a wise one, you must understand that times have definitely changed over the last two hundred years. Some supernatural creatures have adapted well and others have not, many of the unlucky ones are benevolent creatures. I seek those creatures and bring them here to my home where I give them what they need in exchange for their cooperation should they ever be called on for help." Tong closed his eyes as he spoke and seemed to bask in his own warmth.

This man...perhaps he was a man, at this poin the wasn't too sure...believes that he was a benevolent creature? For a few moments he felt bad for Tong, here he was thinking he was saving some good supernatural creature when in truth he was inviting a dangerous demon dog into his hen house. In his previous life the Inu no Taishou was considered to be one of the more fair ruling of the Daiyoukai. He protected the western lands against invasions of all kinds, demon and human driven. Giving all who lived under his protection a chance to prosper, but that protection came with a catch; he was notoriously unforgiving and was known to quickly deal with his enemies in brutal ways. He was far from benevolent then and in his current existence he was a monster, though to have someone think that he could perhaps be a benevolent creature was amusing to him. He gave a soft exhale as he considered the other reason Tong singled him out. "Did I really look like I was having a hard time adapting?" He asked curiously though the more he stepped back and looked the more clear of an answer...Yes. He'd been away from humans so long he was honestly a little lost and confused about the world around him. He had to give Tong credit there.

" Your ears do not lie. " Tong grinning a little as he teased the youkai by leaning over and flicking at one of his pointed ears. Forcing him to step back and shamefully cover it with a hand as he frowned some, only to have it deepen as Tong gave a girlish giggle. "Come-come! I want to show you to your quarters! " Tong smiled again as he waved a hand in a silent plea to follow and started down the hall, looking like a giddy young woman, a sight that was somewhat disturbing to the youkai. He had little choice other than to follow that giddy-giggling idiot, idly contemplating as he went, the idea of wearing his hair down to cover his ears if they were such a dead give away for him, though he was happier when his hair was up and off his back. Pushing the idea to the back of his mind for now, he picked up his pace to keep up with Tong as they made their way down the hall way, till they reached the very last door. Tong stepping aside then and holding out a hand to encourage his guest to open the door. He paused a moment as he spied Tong's knowing smile and arched his dark brow a little. Reluctantly he reached out and took a hold of the door knob, turning it to open the door cautiously, wondering what to expect on the other side.

He was surprised when the door opened to a field of wild flowers, blossoms of many kinds in full, beautiful bloom. It was a small surprise though compared to what lay not far in the distance beyond the field. An old Japanese Castle or Shiro as it was called in his native tongue rose up over a hill top, from where he stood he could count five buildings clustered together. It was a scene from a memory he'd buried long ago, that memory had risen from its grave and now stood once more in full glory before him. He slowly stepped out into the flower field, the flowers gentle scent rising to meet him as a warm summer wind blew across the blossom covered field. He managed to recover from the initial awe of it and regain some of his composure a few minutes later. " Huaa Tong, tell me how this magic works...how could you have possib-" He stopped mid sentence when he turned and spotted Tong's unhappy face. His head tilting curiously as he waited for his host to recover from his obvious discontentment.

The expression on Tong's face was one of bitter disappointment, his gaze locked on the Shiro itself as he wrung his sleeve through his hands like a wash cloth. He did eventually realize though that his guest was watching him and faked a coughing fit, clapping his hand over his nose and mouth as he tried to recover. " I'm sorry! The wild flower pollen is getting to me! Yes, this is a spell that reproduces...your ...uh, fondest memory. It is quite powerful and detailed as you can see, everything there is produced from magic and is not necessarily real but it is accurate." To the youkai he sounded very nervous, as if the sight of this world was unexpected. Tong kept his nose and mouth covered with the corner of his sleeve as he continued. " My servants have ensured that the food and drink here is real though so you have plenty of snacks waiting for you inside, but please do not let that stop you from joining me for dinner?" He asked in such a gleeful tone, trying to assure his guest that everything was fine, though instead he managed to further raise the youkai's suspicions of his host's true motives here.

"I gratefully thank you for the accommodations and I will certainly not forget about Dinner." He answered back to his host in a calm and sincere tone before he started off towards the Shiro, his thoughts of enjoying the experience here hampered by the feeling that something was definitely afoot with his host. His chance encounter with Huaa Tong was anything but and now that he knew his host was indeed up to something he wondered what it could be. He carefully picked his way through the flowers as he dragged the skirt of his robe along behind him, the feel of the grass beneath his feet and the smells of the forest beyond the field were so real it was difficult to believe this was merely a memory. The flowers abruptly ended as he entered the courtyard to the Shiro, the main building standing the tallest, its painted paper doors opened just enough to seem like they were inviting him in. He made his way up onto the wooden floor and reached out to slide the door fully open.

...To be continued in Chapter 5.


	5. Haunting Memories

chapter 5 - Haunting Memories

The silence of the shiro was eerie and it was spoiling some of the wonder of the scene around him as he made his way though the empty walk ways. The floor boards creaking under his weight and the foliage rustling in the summer breeze the only sounds here. His memories of any shiro this large included the bustle of people and sometimes animals, from servants shuffling about to the sounds of men training in the yard in preparation to one day defend their lords home. Ironic how he once used to detest the excessive noise humans made though now that he was here he felt otherwise. Still though he wondered how this could have manifested from a "fond memory", what fond memory did he have of a shiro?

He smirked a little as he reached out to lightly bat at a bamboo wind chime hanging from the roofs edge, wondering if this was some spells attempt to recreating his 'home'?. As a Daiyoukai the Inu No Taishou had a large territory encompassing a good part of the western coast of Japan. Because of this he was always on the move and utilized a network of castles, fortresses and even dens dotted along his territory when he needed shelter. He did though have one shiro that he somewhat called home, if the definition of 'home' was where you kept a spare pair of boots. This world though did not resemble that 'home' in the slightest, leaving his question unanswered.

Coupled with the eerie silence was the equally eerie state that the building was left in, items were still left out as if the people using them had simply vanished suddenly and left them there. This evidence was especially noticeable in the rooms he peeked into while he explored, one room contained tables with open sets of calligraphy spread out along side sheets of rice paper. Some of the sheets bore the first stroke or two of a kanji character before the brush was left laying on the paper. In another room farther along he could see a small altar with the ashes of spent incense spilled on it still and cushions surrounding it. With the assumption that the rest of the building had the same abandoned scenes in them he gave up exploring and began to look around for a room he could rest within. Growing indifferent now to the 'ghost-town' state of the shiro till he stumbled upon one room, inside it looked like it possibly had belonged to a lady of the court. On one wall was a large hand painted wall scroll of a crane at the waters edge, on the other side of the room a sleeping mat was rolled up carefully and tucked against the wall. Near by a small box containing a comb and lengths of ribbon lay open in front of a cushion. He stood in the doorway for a few moments, struck somewhat by the room itself yet not understanding why. His blue eyes drifted down to a splash of color against the tatami mat and there on the floor was an opened lacquered box, a gorgeous kimono spilling out it in a pool of silk, as if someone dropped the box and left it there.

His gaze remained locked on that garment, finding it difficult to see such a beautiful piece laying on the floor as if it were carelessly discarded. It was only a vision conjured from a memory, he knew that very well, but it still bothered him greatly to see a beautiful kimono tossed off like dirty laundry. Giving in he stepped out of his slippers and set foot into the room, making his way towards the sad looking kimono. He knelt down before the lacquered kimono box and carefully picked up the disheveled garment, running his thumb over the pink colored silk. Lifting the kimono a little higher he fanned it out with a quick motion, watching the silk spread out to its full length before settling on the floor. He took a moment to study the hand painted pattern of plum blossoms that utilized the silks soft color, marveling a little at the brush strokes that could still be seen in the outlines of each petal on every blossom. This was an outer kimono that a lady of the court would dress in for every day life and something he had not seen in many long years.

A smile crept over his face as he shook out the garment once more and set himself to the task of folding it properly. The sound of the silk running between his fingers was an all too familiar one that brought back long lost memories, some of which he was unsure if he was ready to face again. He gave a little sigh and blocked out the sound as he finished folding the kimono up, tucking it back into the lacquered box before he gently slid the lid on top to close it. Even though he was aware the owner of the kimono would never know of his efforts in this vision, he was still content with the fact that he rescued the garment from the floor.

He gazed out to warm afternoon sun as he stepped out of the room and slid the shoji door shut behind him, the day had passed by so slowly that he was left wondering if the time of day here mirrored what was outside of this memories 'door'. It was then that the gentle summer winds picked up and carried with them the scent of food, his dark brow arching a little as he looked over his shoulder in that scents direction. Realizing at the moment that this was the first scent he'd picked up that wasn't the wild flowers in the fields beyond the Shiro. Despite seeing things left by humans hands he could not find a trace of human scent anywhere and the realization brought with it a little bit of curiosity. This was a memory of his after all why did he not remember that small detail? The thought weighed on his mind as he followed the scent to a set of double shoji doors. Sliding one open he was met with the sight of a large room that perhaps had served as the personal chamber to the lord of the castle. To one side was a plush looking bed roll laid out over the tatami mat, to the other was a table filled with scrolls and in the middle was a small fire pit where a bamboo steaming box sat over a pot of hot water. Sliding both doors wide open he made his way inside the room, he figured with the presence of the food here that this room was meant to be his sleeping chamber while he stayed here.

His gaze ran over the rooms simple décor, wall scrolls that were hand painted with depictions of birds and woman in long kimono, a single if elegant looking wooden desk, a bamboo chest that no doubt held the nobles clothing and a low shelf filled with scrolls tucked into bamboo tubes. He idly wondered if he could change clothes while in this world, the Chinese robes that he wore had long skirts that he constantly dreaded stepping on and tripping himself up. Though the greater fear that the magic would vanish when he stepped out of the room, leaving him naked, stopped him from trying. Tong had enough to giggle about and if that man giggled about him anymore there was a good chance that he would end up being strangled by the youkai!

Pushing the murderous thought to the back of his mind he made his way to the fire pit and arranged his robe skirts before he sat himself down, he'd begun to reach over to the steaming box when a splash of red color caught his eye. His gaze drifting to a small, red cask adorned with a gold decorative rope and a white label plastered over the front that sported large Kanji letters for "Sake". Tilting his head in curiosity he gathered up his robes and scooted a little closer to the cask, a hand reaching out to pry the wooden lid off and reveal the clear rice wine within. The rice wine has a mild fragrance with a little hint of sweetness, which made him suspect that this was a good quality wine, though it would take more than his nose to tell him that. Reaching over to take the ladle he filled a wooden cup for himself and gave it a taste, the flavor of the wine matching the scent, confirming what his sense of smell had already told him, it was a fine grade of sake in this cask and no doubt not easy or cheap to come by. He began to wonder why his host had given him such an extravagant gift here, why and more importantly when did he go through such lengths? He almost considered the thought that Tong always kept a cask of fine sake just laying around his home, but he couldn't help thinking there was more to this wine than simple hospitality.

He filled his cup again and sat back a little to think over his situation, he was not convinced of his hosts intentions, Tong had mentioned himself that there was some expectation of the creatures he granted safe haven to here, but he had to assume that his host knew exactly what creatures he had under his roof. Tong had also confessed that he did not know what the youkai was, he only implied that he assumed everything about him based on his pointed ears and fangs. He downed his sake in a gulp as he mused himself with the idea that Tong was harboring a Daiyoukai and didn't even know it. Not that the information would have been of any use to Tong anyway, he refilled his cup again and took a moment to look at his partial reflection on the surface of the Sake.

Dwelling in the past was something he had been doing a lot of lately, perhaps far too much in actuality, was he so depressed that all he could think of was the life he'd lost hundreds of years ago? He had an unexpected chance here to live it up and instead of enjoying it he was grieving over something that was well past the time to grieve for. He gave a little grunt to the idea of spoiling this vacation of sorts by letting his past weigh over him and took another gulp of the sake before giving a content little sigh. He silently promised himself to not give his past another thought, he would not continue dwelling in this depression, instead he would savor this feeling of freedom while he could! With that he filled another ladle from the cask only to stop when he notice his reflection, his face was taking on a crimson color that might have been mistaken for a blush had it not been blossoming from around his nose. He smirked a little and emptied the ladle back into the cask before settling the lid back on. He promised Tong he would join him for dinner and showing up red-nosed was not a very good impression. Never mind the fact that he didn't want Tong knowing he was intoxicated, who knows what would happen.

He settled back in his seat and immediately began to feel the warmth of the alcohol creeping up into his face behind that crimson color. When he gazed over to the futon stretched out near by he blinked in surprise as the room spun a little, he began to wonder what had happened? How could he have gotten to this state on only a few cups of sake? He fondly remembered holding his own quite well when he was forced to deal with the Potion Sages drinking games…he had to humor the fool in order to get anything from him! He also not-so-fondly remembered Sesshoumaru poking him with a long stick one time when he was found face down in the grass after one of those drinking games did not end in his favor. Then there was that time in Okinawa, which perhaps was also another memory he was not quite ready to face. He gave a soft exhale and rubbed his face as he accepted the fact that the Sake in that cask here was either very strong stuff, or he'd lost his high tolerance for alcohol in general.

His gaze drifted back to that futon, the best way to deal with a hard impact of liquor was to sleep it off and with that in mind he gathered up the skirts of his robes before he unsteadily got back up to his feet, making his wobbly his way over to the plush futon that looked so inviting right now. Whatever ill effects the rice wine had done would be easily reversed with a short nap and with that in mind he rolled himself out over the futon till he was on his back. With his hands folded behind his head as he gave a pleasant sounding sigh and gazed to the double shoji doors to the room.

His mind wandered a little to the flowery fields outside of those doors, their gentle fragrance reaching him even in his chamber. He had always had a soft spot for flowers, he used to find peace in their sweet scent that calmed even his nastiest of moods. He had also found something very dear to him in a field of flowers, the thought though fizzled as he felt the first soothing touches of sleep reach him. His eyes slowly closing as he settled in for a little nap.

A set of double shoji doors were left wide open, beyond them was a landscape covered in a light blanket of snow that was steadily growing thicker in the continuing fall. He gazed out to the white world outside and caught a brief glimpse of the sky, darkened in the cloak of night. He almost had time to wonder when the s battle cries of men shattered the silence, followed immediately by the roar of flames. In an instant the world around him came into sharp focus and the sight of fresh foot prints in the snow leading away from the burning shoji doors came into his view. The clarity was so abrupt that he cringed and shut his eyes tightly, a wave of pure, agonizing pain sapping him of all his strength. In that instant he knew what happened now, he knew where he was.

_'__She is running away, she is alone with the infant...'_

That voice echoed in his head, a voice that he wasn't sure at first if it was his own or someone else's, it held a soft and saddened tone to it that was familiar, yet not. He dared to open an eye, hoping to catch a glimpse of the woman who had fled that room under his order, leaving those prints in the snow. All he saw though was the gentle snow fall at the edge of the inferno he was trapped in, before flaming timbers crashed down to obscure his view of the doorway. He could feel that he was on his back, his body twisted in an unnatural way, his golden eyes drifting up to the flaming rafters that held him pinned down. He came here despite his own grave injuries to save his Izayoi, he knew the risk he was taking when he did it, knew he was already at his strengths limit. But the fear of losing her and their pup she carried was far greater than the fear for his own well being and he paid for it, in the end he stole her from deaths cold grasp only to take her place.

He had full intentions of fleeing after his woman once his enemy was eliminated, but ultimately his injuries proved far to great. When the fire engulfed shiro came crashing down over him and the foolish Lord who orchestrated this trap, he no longer had the strength to free himself. He knew he was on the verge of death, he knew the flames were devouring him as he lay there but he was so far gone that he could not feel them anymore. Instead of the intense heat that surrounded him, everything felt cold, he barely felt the weight of the rafters that held him down.

His weakening heart was slowing by the moment and yet was also filling with despair, his thoughts drifting to Izayoi as the ache of knowing he was leaving her alone filled him with anguish. He brought her back to the living world only to abandon her to an uncertain fate.

_'There is a chance that you can escape death as well...'_

He knew the consequences of taking the woman as his, he knew what their union would produce and he was willing to accept it fully simply because he loved her so dearly. When she approached him one day with the news that she was with child he was fully aware of the challenges that lay ahead of them both. That day he remembered seeing the fear in her eyes and it had tore at his heart, he reassured her that he would love their _Hanyou_ puppy and had full confidence that his second pup would grow up to be as powerful as his first son. Most importantly, he promised her that he would be at her side to defend her and their puppy, he vowed to her, he fully intended to be there! But instead of chasing her through the snow he was burning to death here in this Shiro! All due to one foolish mistake of his that ultimately sealed his fate, he had underestimated the jealous wrath of one human. Izayoi had caught the interest of a human Lord and of course he was a fool and dismissed the danger as insignificant. When that Lord had learned that Izayoi's heart belonged to a Demon, he again dismissed the humans rages as no possible threat to him. Never realizing that he unintentionally gave Takemaru Setsuna the time and the drive to draw him into this trap at his most dire hour until it was too late!

_'__Do you wish to curse the Setsuna clan forever...?'_

His sight was fading as it was becoming harder to draw breath by the moment, the sounds of the roof further caving in on top of him like a distant echo. The thought that Izayoi would have to raise a puppy on her own, with the world against her and the child she carried in her arms lingering in his mind. He was the one person responsible for bringing her to that fate and now he could not be with her, his promise and his vow were broken because he was a fool. He did not wish this fate on her, she did not deserve it, he would do anything to reach her again. His vision grew dark as the sounds of the fire roaring around him faded into silence, at that moment he failed to draw another breath.

**'I would walk through hell to get back for her.'**

_'Would you ...?' _

At that moment everything went completely black and silent, his physical discomfort gone but the emotional pain remained. If there was ever a feeling of being disconnected, this was it and had he not died in a tragic way then he'd be a little more curious about the whole thing. But as it was he could feel nothing but the pain of knowing he failed the one person he loved so dearly. That grief held him in place, kept him in that darkness, he knew it yet he could not help it. Even in death his heart was a stronger force than his head and he stubbornly pushed against the currents that wanted to carry him away.

Once again that voice that had nagged at him throughout his last moments beckoned to him.

'_Do you wish to return…?'_

"**..."**

He awoke with a gasp for air as his eyes flew wide open, staring sightlessly at the ceiling above him as he endured a few moments of panic. The dream was so vivid, so clear that he awoke in a cold sweat with his fight or flight instinct in full overdrive. He closed his eyes again and used a few controlled breaths to calm himself down, it wasn't a dream, it was a memory that had come back to haunt him. Perhaps it was retribution for trying to turn his back on his past, punishment for thinking he could simply forget his mistakes that ruined his life long ago? With one last long exhale he had himself under control, his blue eyes opening slowly to stare at the opened shoji doors. He began to wonder if the familiar features of this room had spurred his nightmare, or perhaps it could have been the sake's doing, or maybe it was both?

He mulled over that as he turned his head to eye the cask suspiciously. Promising himself that he would never take that stuff lightly ever again he pushed himself up to a sitting position on the futon, running his hands over his face to rub away the last bits of his unsettled sleep. He still felt a little hung over if the headache throbbing behind his sinuses was any indication, but his afternoon nap turned into a lot more than he bargained for and he quickly abandoned the idea of going back to sleep. Not that he had the time to anyway, as he took a quick look outside he could see It was almost time to honor his promise to Tong. Though he was in no mood to be humoring anyone right now, he had to keep his word and with a heavy sigh he rolled off the futon.

That dream continued to haunt him even through dinner, keeping him distracted from everything that was going on around him, which perhaps was a blessing for the youkai in the end as Tong was watching him carefully through the whole meal. Every time the youkai looked up from his dinner he'd be greeted with that same creepy, smiling expression on his host's face. As if Tong's antics were not annoying enough, his niece was also with them for dinner. The little girl this time sat right beside the youkai and was staring at him curiously all through the meal. Lucky for both of them he was so absorbed in his own thoughts that he wasn't as bothered by the staring eyes as he should have been. He gazed sightlessly into his own rice bowl as he contemplated his dream, wondering if he was perhaps over analyzing it too much, dreams often contained meanings though if there was one behind his nightmare he failed to see it.

As dinner continued the gravity of the stares were finally starting to get to him, he looked over to the small child sitting beside him and tilted his head, the little girl looked as innocent as before when he first met her. Though that heavy aura still surrounded her, convincing him more that this was some massively powerful creature. He plucked up a bite of chicken with his chopsticks and offered it to the girl to humor himself as he softly spoke to the girl. "What's wrong Cai Bao?" The child's wide eyes focused on the chopsticks before she opened her mouth and took the offered chicken with a big 'aaah!' Covering her smiling mouth with her little hands as she happily chewed and mumbled something that sounded like 'yummy' in response. The youkai smiled a little and just shook his head to the antics of this 'terribly powerful' little girl sitting next to him.

"I should be asking that of you Xaio Bai, you've been preoccupied since you came here." Tong was sipping his tea, apparently done with his meal though the youkai could not recall ever seeing him eat anything. Tong flashed him that creepy smile as he waved a hand to encourage his guest to speak up. " If something about the room displeases you then let me know and it will be corrected."

"No no…the room is fine, I do apologize but I am not in much of a social mood this evening, though it is of no fault of the room or you Huaa Tong." He answered back in a mellow tone as he set his rice bowl down.

"What has caused you to feel in such a way?" Tong's tone turned more serious at the youkai's answer, the man setting his tea cup down as he propped his chin on his balled fist and studied his guest carefully.

The examination did not go unnoticed and in turn the youkai folded his arms over his chest and gave Tong a warning look. "Nothing out of the ordinary, I simply had a bad dream when I laid down for a nap." He gave a little sigh then as he shook his head and tried to relax once more.

"Perhaps I should retire for the evening, I do not wish to spoil your dinner with my sour mood."

Tong seemed unfazed by his guests warning, instead he had this fascinated look on his face as he nodded to the youkai in answer. "As you wish my friend, I hope you feel better come morning. Have a good evening." He folded his hands under his chin and flashed his guest the creepiest smile yet, least in the yokai's opinion. Taking that as a sign to make his retreat he rose up from the chair and took a moment to whisper goodnight first to the little girl beside him before looking to Tong.

"It's greatly appreciated*, till next time." He flashed a forced little smile back to his host in an effort to hide the effects of Tongs smile on him before he made his way out of the room.

Tong waited till his guest was long gone before his smile dropped and he reached for his tea cup. "I regret to inform you Mistress that he is a difficult subject." His gaze drifted to the little girl at the end of the table who was looking at the door way with a disgruntled look on her face.

'I knew he would be difficult that's why I asked you to find him and lure him here, but he has shown us something interesting." Her frown melted away then as she picked up a napkin to clean off her dress. "I thought he was fully loyal to his master."

Tong's smile was long gone, replaced by a serious look as he tapped a finger on rim of his cup. "The spell in his room was designed to reveal to us what our enemies lair could possibly look like. Instead it showed us an ancient castle, meaning he harbors something in his heart that his master's magic could not erase."

The little girl flashed her own smile then to Tong then and picked up her tea. "Perhaps this is an unforeseen opportunity." She gazed over to the doorway then and mused. "Keep a close eye on him and report anything peculiar to me right away."

Tong's serious look melted away then as he took on that sweet smile. "Of course my Mistress..."

Perhaps he was being a bad guest when he left dinner early but his mood at the meal was souring by the moment and he felt he should retreat to his room before something unsavory happened.

Yet despite the fuss he made to leave he still failed to reach his chamber, instead he got as far as his door before a scent that was very familiar caught his nose. He sniffed the air a moment to pinpoint the source, the door that neighbored his a few feet away, a dark brow arched as he wondered how he missed this scent before now?

Without a second thought he decided to investigate and walked over to his 'neighbor's' door. The moment he opened it he was greeted with a face full of humid air that was thick with the stench of decomposing vegetation. Wrinkling his nose he gazed out to a swamp scene filled with vine covered trees, hanging moss and lush greenery that encroached on the edge of a large lake. It was a beautiful area and he might have appreciated it a little more had the air not been so uncomfortably hot and humid, though he imagined that for the creature he suspected lived here, this world was as good as heaven.

Despite his better judgment he braved the swamp as he made his way toward the lake, his blue eyes scanning over the rippling surface of the dark water. The lake was so murky and clouded that anything could be hiding just below the surface and he'd not see it. For that reason he kept a safe distance from the waters edge and looked out calmly over the swamp. For a few minutes he simply stood there and waited, he was barging into someone else's home rather rudely, not that knocking would have done him any good. He should at least give this rooms residents time to acknowledge his presence. He idly gazed to the waters surface, watching bugs skimming along gracefully while a small fish swam just below the surface stalked them. The bugs unaware of the danger lurking behind them until it was too late, a little splash and one less bug was left to dance on the water's surface. It was then that he felt a chill run over the back of his neck, those blue orbs narrowing as he sensed something lurking very close by. Without warning he leapt from his spot just as a massive, scale covered body slammed down onto the soft swamp soil.

He landed lightly on his feet a few yards away and let his gaze follow the coil of serpent body towards the thick cover of forest. From behind the hanging moss the form of a woman came into view, or perhaps 'half of a woman' was more accurate. From the hips up was a very beautiful if very nude maiden, her skin as pale as milk, her eyes were dark colored and looked deceivingly gentle and her black hair was so long that it reached well past the serpents flesh that encompassed her lower half. Or was it lower three quarters? He dared only a quick look but he guessed this snake was easily a good ninety feet in length, coupled with her appearance he knew he was in for fight. His blue eyes locked on her dark orbs as he called out to her in his native tongue. 'Nure-onna, I have not come here looking for violence, I only wished to speak with you."

The snake-woman regarded him silently at first, not looking all too inclined to answer him as her body started to coil around her form, much to his regret he realized he miscalculated, this snake was massive, the biggest he'd come across ever. A voice echoed softly around him, as if it were made up of the wind itself that blew gently through the humid swamp. "Why would I wish to speak with my prey who has so willingly walked into my lair?" The voice was so soft and deceptively comforting, he could see how she lured her prey to their deaths, it almost distracted him from the coil of the Nure-onnas body that tried to surround him. He bound effortlessly out of the dangerous coils grasp and landed lightly in a three point crouch, his eyes narrowed as he gave a deep, rumbling growl. The snake-woman already coiling herself up for the next strike as he tried again call her off.

"Nure-onna I am not your prey! Back down this inst-Unf!" His sentence cut off as a heavy blow forced the air out of his lungs and took him clear off his feet. A stabbing pain began on his side and raced over his back, realization hitting him almost as hard as he hit the ground a moment later.

There were two of them.

….To be continued.


	6. Of Many Mistakes

Authors Note: I've had an eventful time since the last Chapter. My next door neighbors house burned down, I went on a week long trip that posed a challenge to get home from and a hurricane knocked out my power for several days. Because of that the chapter release was later than I expected, my apologies. With College beginning this week for me I am aiming for a goal of 2 chapter releases a month. This is my first attempt at writing a fan fiction and the reviews are always appreciated! Thank you!

Chapter Six: Of Many Mistakes.

There was a general rule of thumb regarding demons, he wasn't sure if it was originally thought up in Japan or not but regardless of it's origin it could be applied to almost any demon from any part of the world. That rule was: The more human a demon appeared, the more powerful it was. This Nure-onna was a perfect example of this, as most nure-onna were little more than a woman's head on a snakes body. This serpent woman was baring almost a full human body, making him suspect that she was indeed quite powerful. Unfortunately what he did not suspect was that there were possibly other snake women with her in this magical swamp. It was a lapse in his judgment that he was quickly punished for the moment he felt the other snake woman's strike from behind.

He was pinned face down onto the ground, he could feel the needle like teeth of the snake sinking deeper into his flesh as its huge body slithered up around him. No doubt the serpent demon knew it's bite was not enough to kill him and was intent on coiling around him to constrict her prey to death. He had to break free before it was too late, drawing both hands beside him he pushed himself up against the snakes pinning jaws, forcing the beast to struggle harder against a surprisingly strong enemy. When he'd gotten himself up enough to pull a knee under him, he used the leverage to twist his upper body complete with the snakes attached head abruptly to the side. This position drove the snakes snout into the ground and allowed him to free a hand, wasting no time using his wickedly sharp claws to carve a deep set of wounds right along side the snakes exposed neck.

The serpent demon cringed to the pain and writhed violently, tearing its jaws free of him as she thrashed around, the Inu no Taishou used the momentum to get back to his feet in a graceful motion. Despite the searing pain and a lingering trail of blood from the snake bite he was still light on his feet as he bound back to put a little space between him and the second snake woman. At last getting a good look at the creature that came up on him from behind, realizing that it was probably quite young as it still bore only the face of a woman and had a thin veil of black hair growing from the top of her head. He immediately turned his attention back to where he saw the first Nure-onna, only to find an empty spot in the moss where she had once stood. She had to be lying in wait somewhere, waiting to attack him while the younger one had his attention. His blue eyes narrowed a little as he caught the barest shadow of the second snake demon once more, as she rose to her full height, apparently recovered from his last strike.

Her human face may have looked pretty had her mouth and nose not been so stretched out and wide like a snakes, his gaze flicked back to her as she opened that mouth to bare rows of pointed teeth. Like a viper the snake demon's body coiled up and launched for him, a chilling hiss rising from her as she came at him with her maw open. In response he pitched forward and leapt right for her, dodging her nose by an inch before his clawed hand lashed out ahead of him. Catching the corner of the snakes gaping maw and tearing a bloody path starting from the side of the snakes head all the way down a good third of the serpents body. The serpent gave a shriek similar to a woman's and violently rolled and writhed its body in a desperate attempt to get away from him.

He landed down on a knee beside the wounded serpent, his hand raised before him still as the snake woman's thick blood coated everything from his finger tips to his elbow. His remarkably calm gaze slowly drifted back to writhing snake. He should have taken off her head, under normal circumstance he would have without a second thought, but he had to remember that this wasn't a normal circumstance. He was a guest here as were these two snakes and it wouldn't be polite if he went around beheading some of the creatures Tong harbored under his roof. As it was he already expected to have to explain this to his Host once he got back to his own chamber.

He casually rose back to his feet and walked away from the snakes body as she continued to writhe and coil in on herself as blood spewed. Flicking thick crimson from his clawed fingers he almost began to think that the fight was over when a length of scaly body appeared and ensnared him slamming him hard enough against a tree to knock some of the wind out of him, the snakes body coiling around him and the trees trunk tightly as he struggled. Through a shower of falling leaves he noticed a long cascade of black hair and looked up in time to see the Nure-onna above him, her body upside down as she slithered down the tree. Before his eyes her beautiful face contorted as her maw widened and her jaws parted to reviled two hinged fangs nestled among serrated teeth. He'd never heard of a Nure-onna being venomous until now and he hissed as she came down on him in a flash.

Her jaws were smaller than the lesser snakes but they still delivered a nasty bite to the base of his neck, the wound instantly beginning to burn with her delivered dose of venom. At that moment his lips pulled back into a vicious, fang baring snarl as he gave a roar that sounded like it rose from a monster ten times his size. The Nure-onna flinched at the sound but maintained her bite as he used all his strength in freeing his arms, his form shivering for a moment from the strain of being pinned in position that did not give him any leverage, before his clawed hands managed to finally tear their way nearly through the Nure-onnas coil of flesh that held him against the tree.

The snake woman giving a bone chilling scream as she released her bite and tried to retreat back up the tree, the youkai though was not through with her yet! As her wounded body released him he pulled himself up onto the writhing and wounded coil of the snake, kicking off her body to leap up for that torso in the blink of an eye. The snake woman was trying to weave her way through the trees outstretched branches when a blood covered hand grabbed a fist full of her extremely long hair and gave it a powerful enough of a yank to pull her upper body right out from the protection of the tree's branches and sending her falling right for him.

He only needed a couple of seconds time to close the gap between him and the Nure-onna, as he thrust his clawed hand clear through her stomach. Stopping the snakes falling momentum by impaling her and bringing him face to face with his opponent. His eerily shimmering blue eyes locked on her deceptively soft, dark ones as her face twisted from a look of shock to an expression of cold blooded rage. He returned her look with an expression that barely gave away his own fury, with only a shadow of a frown on his face as he regarded this snake woman. When he finally spoke, the growl that rumbled in his tone echoed every last bit of his displeasure. " I want you to be aware, that I only wished to speak with you Nure-onna. I know you hail from my home land that I have not seen in a very long time and I just wished to catch up."

Her look of rage never left her face as her smaller hands gripped around his arm that still protruded from her. Her voice was barely audible, but still managed to communicate her hatred of him at that moment. " You…..yo…u…Bea….st!" His blue eyes narrowed on her before he tore his hand free of her the next moment, watching her body jerk before she fell from his grasp. Her body heaping around the tree she had surrounded while he left the tree and landed lightly on the moss covered ground. The frown on his face becoming more noticeable as he scoffed, who was she to call him a beast when she was the one to attack him first? He curbed his quickly rising anger as he felt the burning sensation of the snakes venom intensify and spread. He was in no condition to stop and lecture the Nure-onna and instead of retorting to her he slowly stood himself back up as he placed a hand over the bleeding bite wounds on his neck. He gazed off to the door then as he turned his back on the two shredded snake women and walked away from the fight scene. Intent on returning to his chamber so he could lick his wounds and deal with the venom, plus he really did not want to stick around and see if there was a third snake demon here.

The warmth that spread through him from the snake's venom was quickly followed by a chill that reached his bones. He sat on the tatami mat covered floor of his bed chamber shivering as he wrung out a wet rag over a bowl of water before gently dabbing the swollen and angry looking wound on his neck. Blood slowly oozed down his bare skin and stained the silk layers of his half shed robes and floor, filling the room with it's coppery smell. Silently he was glad he was somewhere that was relatively safe, as the venom was proving to be a difficult thing to deal with. He set the rag back into the wash bowl and gave a shuddering exhale, taking in a controlled breath as he tried to bring his symptoms under control. He'd suffered poisoning before but never from a snake demon thus he was not very sure what to expect or know how his body would respond to it. As the shiver wracked along his body he considered trying to sleep off the worst of the symptoms, his wounds were cleaned up and he lacked any medicines to treat the venoms effects.

He could breathe and he was coherent despite this alternating flashes of cold and hot, he decided to take the chance and try to sleep. Still shivering he pulled his blood stained robes up around his neck he lay down on the floor and closed his eyes. Keeping his breath slow and even as he let his mind ease through the discomfort and pain. As his consciousness slipped in and out he began to hear odd things, he opened a bleary eye once to check around him only to see he was still very much alone. It had to be the work of the venom, he was so feverish by now that it wouldn't be much of a surprise that he was hearing things. He may even begin hallucinating next and that thought made him more determined to get some sleep. He closed his eye once more and despite his shivering he tried to settle his confused senses, just as before the closer he came to falling asleep, the more he heard strange sounds. In his the wake of his unraveling consciousness the sounds became more recognizable as voices, no….one voice. One voice that echoed softly from a distance, as if calling to him from beyond the darkness that enveloped him. But try as he might his fever fogged mind could not make out what the voice was saying, it was only when he finally surrendered himself to sleeps embrace that the voice suddenly became perfectly clear.

"_Do you wish to return?" _

'_..…' _

"_If I gave you a way, do you wish to return?" _

_Did he truly wish to return? All around him was darkness, he felt like he could move but not in a normal way. He knew he was dead, he knew what had happened, but did he really wish to return?  
>He felt weightless as if he were floating and felt like he was drifting even though he knew he lacked a physical form. What would he do now that he was dead, useless to anyone, separated from his love and their new born pup. Anger flooded his mind then, a fury spawned by the mere thought of what had happened to have put him here, in death. The mistakes he made that cost him so dearly, mistakes that his beloved Izayoi would always suffer for in his absence. That anger rolled itself up into a ball as he seethed in its negative energy and waited for that eerie yet calming voice. <em>

"_Do you wish to return?" _

_'Yesssss….' _

_A powerful current swept him up out of nowhere, carrying him quickly from the darkness that he was suspended in. A feeling of warmth wrapped around him, smothering the chill that was assaulting him moments before, a warmth that grew hotter by the second. What was pleasant at first turned to pure, white hot pain a few moments later and he desperately wanted to scream. But try as he might he could not get the scream out, any ability to form a logical thought was burned away as the pain only worsened. He began to struggle in the intense heat, fighting back against an invisible enemy that enveloped him. He reached his hands out and searched for something, anything that could help him survive and as he felt something at last he reached out for it. Breaking through it as if he were reaching the surface of water after a deep dive. He managed to open his mouth and take in a gasping breath before he unleashed a scream. _

_Awareness came over him like a wave of ice cold air, it shocked his senses and left him disorientated. He tried to open his eyes but found he was still in darkness, he could feel liquid in his ears that muffled his hearing and his nose was stuffed up with something slimy. With his other senses disarmed all he could around him was the boiling hot liquid splashing over him and the icy air assaulting any part of him not submerged in the painful liquid. Beneath him he could feel the rough surface of stone and he struggled to push off of it and escape his torture. That's when he felt hands coming down over him, holding him still as binds wrapped around his ankles and wrists. Pulling him back down into the hot liquid where the pain continued, he could only struggle weakly as he felt himself being boiled alive. _

'_You are not ready to rise, relax and allow us to work…' _

_That same voice, the one that nagged at the edge of his consciousness, yet this time it brought with it an eerie sense of comfort, he felt the pain fade as he went numb all over. Allowing him to relax as he was told, but at what price? _

He awoke abruptly from his unsettled sleep and opened his eyes, staring sightlessly at the bowl of water before him, he was shivering worse than when he'd gone to sleep. Though for the first few minutes he was completely unaware of it as he tried to make sense of the wave of confusion that crashed over him. Leaving him unsure of even where he was and what had just happened. The dream had been vividly real just like before, as if he was experiencing it all over again, every fiber of his being remembered what he went through when he refused death. He wanted to return to the living world and was desperate enough to cast his wish to an unknown voice. Setting in motion a string of events that would forever alter his fate and change his life, all because he had said 'yes'.

That simple word reflected a wish, a wish to return despite knowing better, he'd heard stories of this before. Where the dead returned and only caused more pain for those around them and of vengeful spirits of the dead that are left to wallow in their torment for ages. He knew he should have released his anger before he perished, but he didn't, he couldn't bring himself to die peacefully while his mate was left to fend for herself. He was no stranger to the stories and the warnings but foolishly he believed that he was different. In life he proved to be a youkai unlike any other and in death he planned to do the same. It was a grave mistake and one he seemed he would still pay for even during his time of freedom.

He felt another wave of uncomfortable warmth come over him just as his shivering began to subside, the snake bite by now was reduced to a dull throbbing pain on his neck. A clawed hand reached up to gently pull the robes back off as a sheen of sweat began to form over him. Sleep would not be possible for him tonight, when given a choice to have either his body or his mind tortured, he'd rather prefer to face the long night and stay awake.

Footsteps echoed softly over the board walks that surrounded the shiro as one of the houses servants made his way towards the houses newest guest. Like Tong the servant was dressed in a vibrantly colored Chinese robe that sported beautiful floral patterns and birds. Also like the house's owner the servants make up and hair was done up so beautifully that he could easily pass as a female unless you looked at him closely. He carried in his hand a elegantly decorated lacquered box containing this mornings breakfast for their guest as he hummed a cheery sounding little tune. As he arrived before the Inu no Taishou's bed chamber he noticed the sliding doors were left wide open, respectfully the servant stopped near the edge of the door frame and called out cheerfully to the occupant within. "Good morning Sir! The master sent me here with your breakfast." He smiled as he waited for a response back, looking around a little in confusion when he received no answer. Assuming that the youkai was not here he stepped out into the door way and walked into the room to deposit the breakfast near the fire. He'd only managed to take a few steps in when he noticed the crimson stains on the tatami mats. His eyes following the stains trail to a corner of the room.

The youkai was sitting up in the corner, his robes were half shed and left pooling around his waist and a bowl of reddened water sat nearby with a rag floating in the center. He was sitting up with his elbow on a knee and his cheek pressed to his fist as he dozed, his pale skin still glistened with a little sweat and was marred with reddened marks along the base of his neck and over his side. All that was left of his wounds, which would have been gone much sooner had the venom not been a factor. The servants eyes roamed a little to admire the youkai's strong physique some before a low, rumbling growl warned him that the youkai was no longer asleep. The servant cleared his throat and hurriedly apologized as he fanned his face "I'm sorry to awaken you, but I have brought breakfast. " A blue eye opened a crack to regard the servant, he'd noticed him the moment he walked into the room but decided to ignore him as long as he could in hopes he would do what he needed to do and leave him be. Until he felt his stare that only managed to prick at his still volatile mood forced him to regard the flamboyantly dressed young man.

Even now he was remaining silent after the growl in hopes the servant caught the hint and left him alone. The servant though had recovered from his embarrassment and was undeterred as he walked in and set the box down near the fire place. "I do apologize for just walking in on you, when no one answered me I thought that the room was vacant! You have such a lack of presence in a room, one cannot realize that you're here unless you're seen! I guess that must be a survival technique of yours? Remaining unnoticed until it the very last moment? Ah it must be amusing to see the looks on peoples faces when they suddenly realize you're there! "

He began to wonder how long it would take for Tong to notice that one of his servants were missing.

The servant continued with his chatter as he opened the top of the multi tiered lacquered box to remove a metal tea pot that he proceeded to set up near the fire to warm. " Your quite a tall and strong looking man as well, I'm sure you've given plenty of people the fright of their lives! Ah! Sorry I should stop going on about that! I should be addressing your condition instead Sir, that gave me a bigger fright than your presence." The servant flashed him another embarrassed look that turned to one of concern. " Is there anything I can get for you?"

The youkai drew a deep breath and dismissed his murderous thoughts once the servant finally stopped talking and opened his eyes as he stirred a little to check his condition. He'd had a long night dealing with the stomach churning effects of the snake venom and even at the moment he was still nauseous and quite stiff. His discomfort left him without much patience and all this chatter was not helping him much, but he knew it wasn't the servants fault and kept his temper in check. Instead opting for the opportunity the servant gave him to send the young man away with a task. "Perhaps a change of clothes and a bath, I had a rather rough night and would appreciate a relaxing, hot bath."

The servant acknowledged the request with a relieved smile and a bow before he hurriedly shuffled off with his fists raised like a running school girl, leaving him to snuff a little. It was still a little disturbing how all the men here looked and acted, though he was thankful that was his only complaint about these flamboyant people so far. Running his fingers over his reddened skin he checked his wounds, last night they was open and weeping blood, now they were just blemishes, the youkai mulling a little over how long they were taking to disappear. He was satisfied none the less and began to gather up his torn robes, slipping them back over his shoulders for now. The garment was covered in dried blood and the silk no doubt was ruined beyond any repair thanks to the snakes teeth. He felt responsible for destroying the robe, after all he had wandered into his neighbor's domain perfectly aware that Nure-onna were not friendly demons to begin with. He had assumed that time had changed the snake woman's nature some, the teeth marks on his back and shoulder though proved him wrong. Yet she was the one to dare call him a beast and that bothered him a little, he pushed that thought to the back of his mind as he made his way out of his room to go and take that bath.

One thing he could compliment Tong's flamboyant little servant boys on was how quickly they worked, by the time he reached the grand looking bathroom the tub was filled with steaming water and fresh towels along with a plush looking bath robe were laid out for him. He made a content little noise as he shrugged off the ruined silk garb from his shoulders and worked on loosening his belt. He froze when he realized he was not alone in the room, another presence rose from the opposite end of the room followed by the sound of something moving. He clutched at his belt to prevent his robes from sliding further down over his hips as he shot a cold look to the source of the sound. His first thought was of the way the servant stared at him back in his room, If that man was still in this room spying on him, there was no way the youkai would let him leave here alive!

That look though softened a little as he realized that his potential 'voyeur' was a familiar young woman with gentle dark eyes and long flowing hair that brushed over the floor as she walked. He tilted his head a little as he looked her over, in her full human form she was rather short, perhaps only four and a half feet tall. But she was still very much nude and seemed completely unbothered by it, which was a good thing really considering where he just encountered her. With his growing curiosity displacing his anger he addressed the snake woman in a gentle tone. "Good Morning to you Nure-onna, have I intruded on you?"

"You are such a fool, you masqueraded as prey to lure my child and I out, but why? What are you after Dog Demon?"

The snakes words sounded distant and soft, as if they were on the wind and surrounded them both, but still managed a harsh bite. Although she didn't answer his question she made it clear that she had been waiting for him here and that last night had all been one big mistake on his part. "Good to see you are no longer calling me a Beast, I believe I owe you an apology M'lady." He smiled a little to the serpent woman as he realized that he'd not clearly thought his approach into her domain all too well last night. Every last bit of his demonic presence was erased, he looked and smelled human, of course she would mistaken him for dinner and attack him.

If only he had allowed her to see what he was from the beginning, their encounter would have been very different. "Forgive me, but I meant everything that I said, I simply came there to talk. I realize now I should have dropped my cover." He tried to reassure her before his gaze wandered to her belly, he had impaled her last night but her skin was as white as milk and lacked even the tiniest sign that it was ever injured, a testament to her demonic healing ability. His gaze drifted back to her face as she closed the distance between them and he found it difficult to take the angry look on her seriously. Especially since he was looking down at her once she was near, he felt like he was looking down at a young girl, but he didn't let that dismiss the fact that she was a deadly demon.

A fact he kept well in mind as she reached a slender hand out and placed it over his stomach, running her finger tips over the outline of his abdominal muscle there. "Your spell is almost flawless, your blood even tastes unlike any other demons. But your power is unmistakably demonic." She may have looked like a young woman but her touch was as cold and clammy as a snakes scaly skin. He kept a careful eye on her hand as it slowly drew up his torso, caressing up his strongly built chest before stopping before the blue crystal he wore around his neck. "So this is it…" She hissed softly before rising to her toes in order to reach the clasp of his necklace. He gave no protest and held still for her, it was only fair considering he barged into her domain and saw her true form. She deserved to see what he really looked like and he watched her face carefully as she undid the clasp and let the necklace fall away.

Her expression never changed though as his features reverted to their true colors, her eyes looked him over with the same disgruntled appearance as before. He patiently waited for her to finish as he took the chance to tighten his belt before his clothing could fall off, the youkai a little more self conscious about walking around in the buff than his serpent friend here. He then reached over to grab one of the bathroom robes to throw over her shoulders. "Nure-onna even a youkai should not be parading around in nothing all the time." He gently scolded the snake watching her expression turn even more sour as she reached up to pull the robe around herself.

"Men used to melt at the sight of me, those were the days when I could freely hunt, now I am lucky to have a single soul wander my tiny domain."

No wonder she jumped at him so quickly, not even curious to see why he was there she simply assumed he was dinner and came after him, made him wonder a little how Tong or his servants managed to enter and exit her room safely. A sad little smile came over his face as he regarded the snake woman before he shook his head. "Those days are long gone M'lady and even I miss my old hunting grounds." Although human was not a preferred item on his menu he still missed hunting in the mountains of the western lands and could understand the snake woman's longing to relive those simple pleasures. The snake tilted her head a little, her long black hair spilling over the collar of the robe as her gaze remained locked on his face. He wondered if by chance he had said something to the woman that he shouldn't have.

"I have seen someone who looks very much like you before." She suddenly declared before she moved closer and reached her hands up, placing them over either side of his face, covering his stripes. "Your eyes and your hair are identical,…" She paused a moment when she felt his body tense up under her touch, but still finished her sentence undaunted."… but this demon lacks these facial markings." She held her position as she watched his golden eyes narrow on her, noting how he reacted far differently now than he did a few moments ago to her hands, she made a curious sound as she tempted fate and held onto him despite his rising growl. "Interesting." She whispered only to feel his tension sharply rise.

"Unhand me!" He snapped as he jerked away from her touch with a threatening growl, feeling a little better once he put some space between them. The Nure-onna watched him curiously, unfazed by his sudden, violent response as she slowly lowered her hands to her sides. He held his glare on the demon snake as he recovered his composure before the gravity of what she told him sunk in. She'd seen another youkai like him but without facial markings? He cleared his throat some and closed his eyes to calm himself down, latching onto this subject before the snake could ask him any questions. "My Lady, golden eyes and white hair are not uncommon in the demon world." Feeling like he was perfectly calm now he opened his eyes then and blinked in suprise when he noticed she was glaring back now.

"Indeed they are, but for dog demons vivid golden eyes and silvery white hair are not very common. This inu youkai looked quite a bit like you, only he lacked any facial markings." She repeated the last sentence with an icy tone. Obviously she did not like to repeat herself, or be thought of as a fool, her explanation though made the youkai quite curious. Although dog demons in general were not rare, dog demons capable of taking on complete human forms like him were not common by any means, he knew of only a scant few beyond his first mate and son. Of all the golden eyed and silver haired ones that he knew of, all had facial markings, except for one. Although he only saw him for a brief time, he was certain Inuyasha lacked demon markings, this left him curious. Did the Nure-onna by chance come across his youngest son?

"My Lady, is there any information of where this dog could be or who he is?"

A little smile came over her face then as she took her time to answer, pulling her robe around herself and smoothing back her hair some. Her sudden change in attitude made him wonder if she had tricked him here when she finally spoke up. "I've seen him only a few times, never spoken to him. But I hear he has traveled since to the snow covered lands of the north, in a town east of the city of dogs."

"City of dogs?" He blinked a moment and wondered if she was being serious about that, he scratched his cheek a little and pondered a moment. " Russia is north of here, do you mean that country?" He arched a thick brow a moment to the snake, in truth he was unsure if his youngest was alive. He was long since disconnected from both his offspring, so the possibility that he was alive and living in Russia was interesting. Even if he was wrong and this wasn't his son the idea that there was another dog demon out there made him want to investigate. He knew he should let it go and not bother the other dog, who ever it happened to be, but his curiosity was a driving force that he often could not deny. The fact there was a supposed "City of Dogs" there too added more fuel to the fire.

The Nure-onna watch him carefully, seeing that her news of this dog sparked something in the youkai before her, amusing her. "The frozen lands to the north, that is where you will find this dog." The snake woman assured before she smiled a little. " Now, if you would be so kind as to send a sacrificial soul into my humble domain in payment for this information, I would greatly appreciate it." He snapped out of his little thought filled daze as she gave her little demand, ah that is what she was after and he couldn't blame her really. He flashed her a little smile then as he nodded to her in agreement, all was fair in trading live bodies for information. The snakes smile becoming a genuinely warm looking one, kind of out of place considering what she really was.

"I will see what I can do for you My Lady in return for your helpful information."

Much of that morning had been spent talking to the snake woman, he learned about the state of youkai from his home land. How many of the ancient ones were either displaced entirely or hiding and how a new breed of youkai seemed to be thriving after World War II. An important piece of information though both frightened him and left him in awe, of how the war ended for Japan and the complete obliteration of two major cities in seconds. In the course of two bombs humans proved they were capable of the same level of absolute destruction that only the most powerful of demons were. Perhaps that was enough to make his youngest move out of the country? The prospect of a 'Dog city' could be why he was lured to Russia instead of someplace a little more familiar. He was more determined than ever now to see if his youngest was indeed alive and making a home for himself in a northern country.

After taking a luke warm bath he returned to his chamber wrapped in only a couple of large towels, when he finally reached the sleeping chamber he found Tong's servant waiting for him, holding up a beautiful set of …pink…floral patterned Chinese robes. A sweat drop rolled down as he stared at the robe in disbelief, before he humbly asked to send back in return for clothing that was more appropriate for traveling in cold climate. The servant looked a little confused as he slowly lowered and began to fold up the robe but bowed anyway before shuffling away with his request. He gave a little shudder and began to re-think his opinion on his 'only complaint about these flamboyant boys'. They were out of their minds to think that he would allow himself to look or act in a girlish way. He mulled over that thought as he sat down and started to tend to his hair while he waited, toweling off the long silvery white lochs as he reached towards the vanity box to pick up a comb. If he didn't untangle his hair now while it was wet it would be a frizzy mess when it dried.

His mind wandered to what he'd learned today, finding a little amusement in his new founded direction now. He had a reason to go somewhere, he no longer had to travel aimlessly, he wanted to see this supposed 'City of Dogs" and see this mysterious dog demon. If it was indeed his son though, he wondered how he would be received. He doubted Inuyasha even knew what he looked like and more than likely would not know who he even was. The same question that haunted him back in Tibet arose then, did he had any right to step into his youngest son's life when he had been absent from the beginning of it? The more he thought about it the more he began to think that his son would never accept him. The thought dampened his spirit a little but did not leave him any less enthusiastic about going.

He dismissed the thought when he noticed the sound of foot falls approaching his room and took a moment to wrap his hair up in a towel before looking to the door. To his surprise a young woman stopped in the door way and gave a bow, muttering an apology in a very gentle sounding tone. At first he couldn't answer back, he just stared at her in awe as he doubted his eyes, after a few more close looks he silently came to the realization that this was the first woman he had ever seen among Tong's servants. What surprised him even more was the fact this girl looked...bland. She was in a soft gray robe with a white inner robe and cream colored obi. She wore little make up and her hair was gathered behind her head and wrapped as it stretched down her back. She looked very normal and very dull compared to the flamboyantly dressed and made-up male servants he'd encountered.

The servant girl waited patiently till he over came his initial shock and acknowledged her with a smile and a warm word of welcome before she shuffled into the room with an armful of carefully folded clothing. "M'lord I have brought the clothing you have asked for." She paused before him and bowed again before she flashed a warm smile back to the youkai, unbothered it seemed by his half naked state. "My Lord, the master of the house wishes to see you soon." The youkai reached out to take the clothing from the servant and nodded his head a little to her statement. He figured that Tong would want to find out why he suddenly wanted to leave and it would be rude for him not to talk to the lord of the house after all the hospitality he received.

" Inform him I will be presentable for an audience in a few minutes." He smiled to the girl who flashed him a warm look back and bowed again before leaving. The sight of her still making him wonder a tad, it seemed a bit familiar to him. He shook his head to shed the towel then and reached over to pick up his necklace, dismissing the thought for now as he focused on the task of getting dressed.

Much to his relief the clothes he was given this time looked much better than the robes he was initially offered. He felt far more comfortable in the long sleeved, dark blue, Chinese shirt and black, loose fitting pants. Unfortunately what little comfort he found in being properly dressed at last was lost when he looked across the tea table to Tong. His host had a heart broken expression on his face and was tugging at an embroidered handkerchief in grief as he addressed the youkai in a shaky sounding tone. " Xaiobai is it true that you are leaving us?" The way Tong said that with that pathetic look on his face made the Youkai feel even more uncomfortable. He almost preferred his host's creepy smile to this look.

"Yes, it seems I was given an interesting lead and I really do wish to investigate it." He set his hands lightly on the table as he regarded his host before giving a sigh. "Huaa Tong If I may intrude on your hospitality once more, may I ask to return here once my journey through Russia is done?" He knew that was what the strange fellow was after, for some bazaar reason he just knew that was what Tong really wanted to hear. A sweat drop rolled down his face as Tong's expression instantly turned bright and Giddy to that.

"Ah! Of course I would always Welcome you back here my Xaiobai!" Tong clapped his hands together and rubbed his cheek against the back of them, taking on a smile that reached a new level of creepiness in the youkai's opinion. Till the flowery man calmed down and looked to the youkai across the tea table. " I see then that your going to Russia, though may I ask, what do you hope to accomplish in that country?"

He plucked up his cup of tea and took a moment to saver the sweet scent of the brew before he flashed Tong a content little look. " To possibly find someone special to me." It was his turn now to smile to Tong as his host gave him an odd look, but he didn't offer him any further details.

End chapter 6.


	7. Doggone Adventure

Chapter 7: Doggone Adventure

There was something magical about falling snow, the way it floated gently through the air, how it covered everything in a blanket of pure white. It had a charm unlike any other kind of precipitation that could calm the soul and bring back childhood memories. Unless of course you have been traveling through it for the past four weeks as he had, then it lost all it's charm and became a symbol of cold, wet misery. If there was one thing he wished he had known before leaving China for this journey, it was to not travel Russia in the winter months! Yet in all his excitement he failed to ask Huaa Tong what to expect while he was up in these northern lands so he was in for a few little surprises once he got there. Yet the constant light snow fall was only the beginning, when he reached a small city east of Moscow that was supposedly dubbed "Dog city" he was in for a bigger surprise.

The reason why the city was given such a nickname was due to the large number of stray dogs that made their living begging humans for food and affection. When he first saw them after entering the city he was left in awe as he watched the canines follow the humans every where. Some of the dogs were large, some small, some traveled by themselves and others worked in small groups. Every one seemed very friendly and quite clever while the humans mostly were compassionate towards the canines. Because of this unique way of life here the Inu no Taishou decided to explore the city in his dog form in order to hopefully blend in better.

It was sound reasoning at first, though now he began to have second thoughts as he padded along the snow covered side walk, dodging puddles, pedestrians and odd looks shot his way. In his canine form he was the same size only down on all fours, which did make him out to be a very large dog. Under the Crystals spell he was covered in soft white fur that was quite thick around the base of his neck and along the back of his powerfully muscled shoulders. His head had a long muzzle with a tapered nose, his eyes were a shimmering gold color and his ears were long and drooped. His overall physique was strongly build with a chest that was wider and had more muscle definition than a normal dogs. His tail was thick and long with an upturned tip and his paws were large and bore his wickedly curved claws. This look was all the humans could see when they gazed at him, the rest of his more demonic attributes were safely hidden away by the blue crystal that was buried in the fur of his neck. Yet despite the cloak of magic he was still an impressive looking dog that didn't fail to attract some stares as he made his way through the city streets.

He stopped by a street corner and looked up to the cross walk light, around him humans gathered to wait for the light, some ignoring him while others looked over to him in fascination. One brave young man at the coaxing of one of his friends reached out and carefully pet him on the head, scratching a little behind his ear before looking to his friend and saying something with a smile. His ear perked a little to the scratching as he gazed up curiously at the young man as he reminded him of his biggest obstacle to his whole trip, he didn't understand any of the Slavic languages. As the Daiyoukai of the west it was very important that he learn the different languages spoken by the people who lived outside of his territory. He made many trips to the main land and took pride in learning a few of the more widely spoken Chinese languages. He even added Korean to his linguistic skills after dealing with a few youkai from the northern kingdoms.

Unfortunately he never had the opportunity to learn Russian, leaving him rather lost as far as what people were saying and much of what he read. Thankfully though, some things were universally understood and did not need words, like a smile and a gentle touch. As the light flicked to green the mob of people started across the street, followed by several dogs.

What amused him the most was how well the dogs mimicked human behavior, they used cross walks and knew how to read the crossing lights. They stuck to side walks and knew to stay out of shops and cafes, they played with children and sat beside anyone using a bench. Each dog knew how to coax the humans into giving them what they wanted, some nosing at hands, others resting there muzzles on a knee and all seemed to know how to give big puppy eyed looks to anyone carrying food.

Every one of them though was a mortal dog, in the past two weeks that he had been roaming the city he had systematically searched around for any sign of a dog demon living here. So far he saw absolutely no trace of anything that backed up the Nur-onnas' story, nor could he pick up the scent of any demon at all in this city. He was beginning to think that this endeavor was in vain as he made his way towards the train station, the last place he could really search. As he crossed the street and made his way to the entrance of the train station, and wormed his way through the crowd in front of it. Once he found the revolving door he threaded his way in and rose onto his hind legs, placing both for paws on the handle in front of him and curling his tail beside him to save it from getting caught as he pushed the door along. Much to the fascination of the humans around who stopped and watched him, having never seen any of their canine denizens do anything like it.

Bravely entered the crowded train station, witnessing just as many dogs roaming freely around the station and boarding platforms as there were in the street. He made his way along the platform where the days commuters, human and canine, gathered and waited for the regularly arriving trains. As he paced around looking for a scent he stared to become a little self-conscious of was how much noise he was making, his steps echoed on the wooden platform with a thump followed by an eerie click sound of his claws meeting the floor, betraying how heavy of a dog he was. Although he did his best to tread as softly as he could to limit the sound he still managed to get the attention of the dogs around him and even a few looks from some of the humans. He disregarded the unwanted attention as he continued to sniff around, facing the biggest challenge of the station, the fact there was such a mixture of scents here, between the humans who came and went and the foul stink of the diesel powered trains.

His nose though was quite powerful even in his current state, he could still follow a scent trail that was days or even weeks old and could air scent someone who had miles of a head start on him. If there was a trace of a scent left anywhere he could follow it, or in this case a trace of a scent buried in thousands of others. He slowly worked his way through the station, blocking out everything else going on around him as he tracked along one end of the platform to the next. Unfortunately, much like the rest of the city his search came up with nothing and after a long while of sniffing about he came to a stop in front of the train system map and sat down. Perhaps then this was all in vain, all he could find here were mortal dogs not demons, he did though silently wish he could ask some of them if they had seen his son.

He perked an ear to the sound of a whimper and looked over, noticing many pairs of canine eyes affixed on him, nearly all showing a mixture of curiosity and fear. None of them dared approach him, instead putting plenty of space and a few humans between themselves and him. Mortal dogs were never comfortable in his presence, every one he'd come across kept as much distance as possible from him. An odd thing considering most animal-like youkai had some kinship or even control over the mortal animals they were based from. He on the other hand had never even so much as petted a mortal dog before, every one he had come across had made it clear that they were afraid of him, something that he never truly knew the reason why. His gaze turned back to the map on the wall once more, relieved that some of the destinations were written in both Russian and English. He looked over the lines and found a train that would head back towards Moscow and make arrangements to return back to China.

With the train number he needed in mind he padded out onto the platform, using the hanging signs marked above to find where his trains stopped. He sat himself down to wait, curling his thick tail around his legs to hide his large paws and their wicked looking claws. He took a regal looking pose as he craned his neck and puffed out his chest, his golden eyes lazily focused on the tunnel he expected the train to exit from at some point. His drooping ears perking a little when the sound of giggles near by caught his attention, his gaze slowly rolling to a child that was tugging at his mothers hand while making little awe-sounds and pointing excitedly at him. The boys mother was saying something to the child in a scolding tone but was obviously not having much success at dissuading the boy, a moment later she lost her grip on the child's hand and watched helplessly as the freed little boy ran off to investigate the large white dog.

The boy stopped abruptly beside him and rocked on his heels a little as he gazed at him with a look of open-mouthed amazement on his face. The child looked like he was maybe six or seven years old, with a mess of dark hair and green eyes that just glittered with curiosity. He tilted his head a little as the boy smiled brightly to him and held out a hand palm down, mimicking how the grown ups approached strange dogs. He gave his own doggy-smile and bowed his head a little to nose at the tiny hand, assuring the boy that he was friendly. The boy taking that as a green light to step closer and run his hands through the thick fur covering his shoulder.

The boy was excitedly saying something to his mother as she came closer, the woman using a scolding tone as he could only guess she was trying to urge her child away from him. The child though seemed to have other ideas, if he could only chuckle as a dog he would be right now, watching in amusement as the little boy refused to heed his mother and tried to hide behind him in an effort to evade capture. The mother giving him wary looks as she circled around his large form while trying to catch her son. It was a fun little game that he sadly had to put to an end as a train rumbled up from the tunnels exit and rolled towards his platform. He carefully rose to his feet then and gave the boys cheek a poke with his cold, wet nose, watching him stop and giggle as he tried to pull his jacket collar up to shield his cheek from another nosey-poke. His mother taking the given opportunity to scoop up the giggling boy into her arms and whisper little scolding's as she walked away. He still bore that doggy-smile as he heard the boys cries to him, guessing they were goodbyes from the excited child before he padded his way towards the arriving train. If only that child had known he was playing with a demon, he'd have a great story to tell to his friends.

His smile immediately faded as he froze mid step, a breeze had blown through the station and carried with it the scent that he was looking for. He lifted his head high and sniffed at the air as he tried to pin point the source, turning his head then from the train arriving before him to look at another train that was waiting on the other side of the platform. It was pointed the other direction and looked ready to leave as it gave a warning whistle. The scent of dog demon was very faint in the air but defiantly wafting from that train and it was getting ready to leave!

He spun on his hind legs and took off running as fast as he could, hard to do on a smooth train platform and the fact that people were everywhere made it even harder. He had little choice but to plow through the legs of several people, leaving them upended and cursing loudly behind him. If he had the ability to speak as a dog he'd be cursing loudly too as the train gave its second warning whistle and the doors began to slide closed. He was half way there with a group of humans standing in his way, in a panic he looked for anything that could help him. He spotted a support pillar and leapt up over the heads of the waiting humans for it, ignoring the shocked cries and equally surprised barks below him as he kicked off the pillars side and came down like a white bolt through the remaining gap a couple of seconds before the doors closed up.

The blow from his landing was heavy enough to rock the train and send a few people inside yelping in surprise as the large white dog seemed to appear out of no where and hit the floor. His claws sunk in as he ground himself, spread-legged to a hard stop, gritting his teeth as he still managed to slide a foot or two and knock into a few standing humans. He made it in the knick of time as he felt the train jerk into motion and chug its' way from the platform. He dared look up then to see the surprised faces staring back down and the dogs present in the car doing everything in their power to squirm away from him. All the attention left him feeling a little self conscious as he straightened himself from that embarrassing position and started off for the back of the car. He sniffed at the air as he went and confirmed his discovery, in this train car there was once a dog demon and the scent was fairly recent. It was pure luck that he had found this scent after two weeks of searching and it made this trip worth his time.

He found an empty bench and hopped up, grimacing a little as the bench made a loud creaking sound under his weight and curling himself up into a large, white ball of puff. Resting his muzzle on top of his overlapped paws he looked out the window, ignoring the fact that both the humans and the dogs did not dare try to occupy the seats around him. Not that he could blame them, he did give the entire train car a scare when he made his entrance. The realization sunk in then that he had no idea where he was going, no idea what train number this was. All he did was capture the scent and rush here as fast as he could, how would he know where the dog demon got off, or maybe it was on? He did not catch this scent anywhere on the train platform, only when a breeze washed over the waiting train did he notice it. The dog demon got on this train from another stop and he would need to air scent every stop till he found it. A daunting task but this was an encouraging start, his gaze remaining on the window and the city landscape passing beyond it.

At first with each stop he would hop down off his bench and walk over to the doors, sticking his head out to sniff the air and ultimately giving a few passengers an unexpected fright when they nearly walked into the large white dog. After the third stop he managed to secure a bench seat close to the doors where he could catch the breeze that swept in when they opened. Every time he found nothing, this dog demons scent was still as elusive as ever for him. But he had to admit this leg of the search was a little more pleasant, if there was one thing the old Daiyoukai had to get used to when he arrived at this city, it was the sounds and smells of motors. Although all of them smelled bad a few had a very soothing sound to them, a deep and rhythmic rumbling that he found comforting. This train had that gentle rumble of it's huge motors that he found relaxing to listen to. The light swaying motion of the train car as it rolled over the rails was also rather comforting, he nestled his muzzle between his overlapped paws and let his eyes close.

He had full intention of opening his eyes when the train stopped again, the only problem was he never did feel it stop once he started to nap. He awoke with a start when he realized it finally and lifted his head up in alarm, silently cursing himself for it. His gaze drifting up to the window in time to see a steady fall of snow blowing past, noticing that the train had long since exited the subway tunnels of the city. Beyond the curtain of fluffy white the daylight was growing thin but he could still see what looked like electric lights in the distance partially obscured by trees. The train was making its way through a rural landscape on its way to the next destination. His furry ears drooped a little as he began to wonder how long he slept and

gazed out to the car he was in, discovering that he was alone with a man who was sitting at the opposite side. Everyone else who had been in the car had gotten off while he was asleep, proving that he had missed checking some stops because of his unexpected cat nap! His disappointment in himself though was side tracked a little as he began to feel eyes on him, his gaze drifting back through the car.

The man he was sharing the car with was holding a news paper under his arm, he was rather big and burly looking with a thick beard that swallowed his mouth and half of his nose. He looked grey all over and would almost pass as a cheery old man had his eyes not looked so...predatory. It was that gaze that irked him some as the man watched him rise to is feet and arch his back in a full body stretch. He wasn't used to being looked at like he was prey but instead of making a scene of it he ignored him as he felt the train slowing down, preparing to make a stop. His golden eyes returned to the windows as he watched the glow of lights passing by, the train slowing down till at last it rolled to a stop and it's whistle blew. This time though before the doors opened the engines stopped rumbling, signaling that this was the last stop. He could still feel the old mans eyes on him as he slowly hopped down off the bench with a loud sounding thump! Padding his way over to one of the doors as they opened up and immediately unleashed an icy cold wave of air washing over him. Even with a thick coat of fur he shivered, but continued to make his way on out onto the snow covered platform.

He had perhaps thirty seconds to take in the sight of the little village station that they stopped in before he was greeted by a couple of gasps. He followed the sounds over to a pair of women who huddled together at stared back at him in shock, he cocked his head a little to the woman who made it quite clear that they didn't often see dogs like him hopping off trains like in the Dog City. His ears began to droop as both of the women looked ready to scream, contemplating making a hasty retreat when he felt a hand grabbing the thick scruff of his neck, giving a gentle tug. His first instinctive response was to growl and jerk away, turning his head to shoot a nasty look at the perpetrator behind it. His eyes narrowing a little when he

realized it was the old man who had been staring at him in the train car. The old man avoided looking at the white dog as he put up a good humored expression and waved to the girls. Saying something in Russian to the girls that made them both calm down some, before he plucked off his hat in a goodbye gesture to them and lightly tugged on that white scruff again to urge him to follow.

Once upon a time when someone was stupid enough to try and treat this Inu no Taishou like a puppy they didn't live long enough to do it again. This old man managed to do it twice and he was risking losing that hand and then some if he tried it a third time. He may have restrained himself in front of the nervous women but if this fellow continued to anger him then it would not matter who witnessed it, there would be blood. Responding to the urging he walked beside the old man, casting him a side long look and keeping a golden eye locked on his whisker covered face. Finding it curious that despite his repeated glaring the old man neither flinched nor dared return the look as they marched side by side through the outskirts of the village till at last they reached a tavern. The old man held a hand out in front of him in an effort to make him stop before he reached for the door with the intention of letting the dog in first.

He had opposite idea though as a thick stench of liquor mixed with the reek of unwashed bodies assaulted his nose and the sounds of loud, drunken voices inside caused him to have second thoughts about following this man anywhere else. He made a snuff sound then and turned around intent on leaving when he felt that hand grab his scruff again, that was the final straw. He may have been a large dog to begin with but the bellowing snarl that erupted from him sounded like it came from a monster ten times bigger. Followed by the sounds of frightened screams from within the tavern as it's patrons immediately stopped what they were doing and stared at the door. Seeing it shattered to pieces, the door knob still clutched in the hand of the old man who had tried to use it as a shield when the dog whirled around on him to attack. Another large chunk was hanging from the white dogs mouth, clutched between his large, sharp teeth. He was up on his hind legs with one paw on the door frame, his head was bowed level with the trembling mans. He was flashing a nasty glare and still rumbling a threatening growl as he stared down the visibly shaking man. The fur along his spine standing on end as silent proof that he was one pissed off dog at the moment.

The silence that surrounded them felt like it lasted for ages as he kept his prey pinned in place with his murderous look alone. Deep inside he wanted to rip this mans head off, or at least rip his hand off for being a bold idiot. The longer he stared at this man, with his eyes wide in fear and his over abundance of whiskers bristling, the more he remembered his predatory look a few minutes ago. Sense of reason was a little stronger than his sense of pride, mauling this man to death in front of a crowd would only bring him serious trouble. He'd have to be satisfied with the fact that he turned the tables on him and let him know that in truth he was the prey, not the white dog. He spat out the chunk of door from his mouth then and let himself drop onto all fours again. Giving the man a last glare before he turned around once more and made his way from that little scene quickly before anything else could happen.

He was still angry and annoyed from the encounter as he padded over the wooden board walk that served as a path along the side of the road that wound through the village. As his anger began to dissipate from the lash out he began to notice that the door he'd smashed a few minutes ago tasted awful. Opening his mouth he let his tongue lag out while he made an effort to spit the foul taste out. Lowering his head to lap up a little of the snow when spitting wasn't enough, he continued to trot along as he gazed over the quaint village. Watching the snow falling around him as it had been since he'd first arrived in Russia, although he was a little thankful that it was so frigid out, it was helping his temper cool down. He still began to wonder if it ever stopped snowing around here, it was amazing that this village wasn't buried under feet upon feet of white stuff. Then he calmly hopped off the board walk onto what he thought was snow covered ground, only to be swallowed up by what was actually a snow drift. A really deep one, leaving only the end of his tail sticking up out of a dog-shaped hole.

For a second he sat there, surrounded in frozen white, blinking a little in astonishment of his misjudgment. He began to develop a really bad feeling as he stretched out his fore legs a little to see if he could feel the ground below the snow. Then tried to do the same with his hind legs and grumbled a little when not even a claw tip scraped anything solid, …this was not good. Whatever anger the cold has dissipated before came back like a fire storm, if he were a bit calmer he would have been happy that this happened to him while he was in a form that could not speak. Or else the cursing that would have been falling from his lips right now would make even a hardened sailor blush!

This was a lovely predicament, here lay a once proud and mighty demon, sunk up to his woofer in fluffy snow and squirming around in every way possible to try and get some traction to climb out of it! The snow though, was very soft and refused to pack down under his paws, instead it clung to his fur and encased his limbs as he squirmed around and sunk down deeper into the drift. What was making the situation worse was the fact that the snow above him was falling in to fill the hole he was unwittingly making. He stopped his struggling and sat there a moment, giving a long winded sigh as a clump of snow fell over his head. He needed to calm down and think this through, taking a few moments he hatched a little plan and once more started to wriggle, purposely working his way down in an effort to reach something solid.

Out on the board walk two young boys were racing past throwing snow balls, one skidding to a halt as he held up his mittens as a defense against the other boy. When something caught his attention, his jaw dropped a little and he pointed past his companion who turned around in time to see snow flying out of a large hole in the bank. The second boys eyes grew wide as he realized something was in the hole and started running up the board walk that was in front of it, the first boy yelling something in Russian as he followed along. Inside the snow bank the white dog squirmed till he finally felt something solid under his hind paws. Finding purchase at last he gathered up all his strength to leap up and paw for the board walk frantically! His claws digging through the frozen wood as he started to slide back down into the hole.

As a human he was rather tall but to his dismay as a fully stretched out dog demon his over all length was just barely short of allowing him to plant his toes onto the frozen ground below. Leaving him dangling by a single paw off the edge of that damned board walk, his hind legs kicking furiously as he tried to scramble his way out of this mess before he froze to death! He was reaching out with his other paw and scraping his claws around frantically for something to grip only to become started when something grabbed him instead. He stopped struggling that instant, as he dangled there and took on a confused look. One that he carried along as he was pulled up from the snow bank and lifted a good foot above it. His snow encrusted body dangling there by one paw like a prized fish, he quickly shook the snow off his head before looking to his rescuer. Only to recoil in wide eyed wonder at the sight of what had him.

He could only guess that it was a woman, but she had to have been close to 8ft tall and weigh somewhere around 400lbs. But she looked like she was all muscle and was defiantly heavily built. She had a wide chest and limbs as thick as tree trunks, her waist despite being thick was flat and sporting a large belt that kept her navy blue slacks in place under a thick, fur lined coat. Her face was very square and framed with chest nut colored hair gathered into two pig tails on either side of her head. She almost didn't look human at first and had he lacked his dog nose he may have confused her for a….

"YETI!"

His snow encrusted ears perked as he heard two young voices scream behind him, his neck craning around till he laid eyes on the two young boys staring at him with expressions of fear and excitement. The elder looking of the two pointing back up to him and calling out excitedly to him. "Yeti! Mama Yeti!"

His confused look only worsened as he felt insulted, who were they calling a yeti! He looked back to the woman then as his confused look turned to a concerned one, maybe it was the cold snows doing but he only realized now that this monster of a woman was holding all 250lbs of him up one handed. Though he could tell she was growing tired from it and wriggled a little as she finally relented and set him down. Once he was back on his paws he bowed his head and shook off his fur abruptly, sending snow flying in all directions. Much to the giggles of the two boys standing near by, he gazed up to the children then as he shook out packed snow from his paws in a feline manner. The eldest boy looked like he was nine and he showed off his bravery to his younger brother as he approached him and held out a hand.

This time though he forgot about his doggy manners and ignored the little hand in favor of eyeing the large woman who was currently looking him over as she rubbed her chin. The youngest boy piped something to her and she answered back in a sigh, leaving him at a serious disadvantage. He had no idea what was going on here, though he began to get an idea as the two boys came close enough to throw their arms around him! Talking excitedly to the woman who rolled her eyes and seemed to be thinking about something, taking her time. The boys meanwhile were staring up at her as they clung to him tightly, his golden eyes widening as realization hit the moment she nodded and the two kids broke out in cheers!

He had just been adopted.

Not without a fight! With the boys releasing him then he turned and tried to make a break for it, he came here looking for a dog demon. He had no intention of become a pet to a Godzilla woman nor would he just let this happen. He almost preferred freezing to death in the snow, but just as he managed a stride two large arms managed to encircle his center, leaving deep claw marks in the board walk as he was yanked up off the ground! This woman managed to catch him by surprise twice in less than ten minutes, not a common occurrence for him and to top it all off she casually propped him over her shoulder like a sack of potatoes. Golden orbs were wide as he was being carried away, the poor dog feeling that sense of loss returning to him once more.

The loss of his last shred of dignity.


	8. Snow Dog

Authors note: I realized chapter 7 was a mess only after it had been up a week, I will re-edit that soon. I also noticed that my scene breaks in the chapters were removed when the chapter was uploaded onto ! I will go back and try to fix those. My apologies for the confusion! This chapter I tried to emphasize the characters accents in their dialog, I am not sure how well I managed that. ^_^; Reviews are appreciated.

Chapter 8 - Snow Dog.

This was unbelievable, inconceivable, unimaginable and absolutely ridiculous! Here he was, the Inu no Taishou, a Daiyoukai that was once mighty and feared, backed into the corner of a crumbling little shack in the middle of nowhere, glaring death at some old balding fat man with too much facial hair and some obnoxious impression that he could get a leather dog harness around him! Never in his hundreds of years of existence did he ever thing he would ever be put in such an embarrassing position!

Alright perhaps he was rather angry at the moment with his current situation, he gave a long exhale through his clenched teeth as his golden eyes closed and tried to regain his composure. It was an embarrassment beyond anything he'd ever had to experience and he thought he knew humility well until he was hauled off over the shoulder of some Yeti-woman and shoved into the back of an old, half rusted truck. There he quickly discovered the bearded man who was bothering him at the train station was sitting contently in the front seat, that was his first horrible surprise. His second horrible surprise was when they drove out in that rickety vehicle for a good hour into the forest where the snow was so deep, he could only assume there was a road under it. The house itself was horrible surprise number three, it was a large cabin that looked ready to fall in on itself, it's walls surrounded with wooden supports and a roof that was sagging under 6 feet of snow.

He tried to escape several times but the two young boys had a firm grip on him and only his pride was preventing him from biting their arms off and freeing himself. Once inside that creaky cabin he'd searched again for a quick escape out, only to become dumbfounded when discovered that the windows and the door were all lined with metal rods and bolted shut. It made him stop and wonder, but he could only ponder the mystery for a couple of minutes when that bearded man suddenly appeared beside him and draped the leather straps of a harness over his furry back. Which landed him in this current position, backed into a corner of the cabin with his ears flattened back and flashing the old man the most vicious looking expression a dog could manage without baring teeth.

Behind the man the Yeti-woman was busy lighting the fire in the hearth, exchanging a few words in Russian with him as he tried to catch the white dogs head in the harness. Not having an easy time of it as his head bobbed away from him each time. The youkai's expression turned more angry by the moment, this human was relentless and he seriously considered taking his whisker covered head off his shoulders. All it took was a single bite and this harassment would end, the Yeti-woman would be next and then the boys…

…Alas those two boys.

The boys were what stopped him from acting out his murderous thoughts, he could not bring himself to willingly kill innocent children. In his turbulent past he had been times where he was force to or accidentally killed little ones before and his heart mourned each and every time. Even when he could use the Tensaiga to bring the little ones back the horrible guilt from the tragic act alone lingered. There was a fine line between being a demon and being a monster.

As much as he could not bring himself to kill these two boys he could not bring himself to orphan them either. He would have to deal with the Yeti-woman and the old bearded man the hard way, his golden eyes locked on his current tormentor before he came charging out of the corner of the room for him! Giving a deep, thundering bark as he caught the old man by surprise! The bearded fellow tumbling backwards with a startled yell before scrambling away on his hands and knees. The two boys watching this in amusement started giggling uncontrollably as the Yeti woman rolled her eyes and stood up to her full height in front of the hearth.

Despite the ridiculous circumstances he marveled over the fact that she didn't feel the need to bend down while walking around in this little cabin. The top of her head was barely a half inch away from brushing against the rafters supporting the roof above them, she had to have been the tallest human woman he'd ever seen. He didn't muse long on it as he watched her pick up the flustered looking bearded man and helped him to his feet. Finishing her little deed by placing a little kiss on his balding head, the white dog watching that old fool blush a little before realization sunk in. So this was a whole little family living here in the middle of nowhere? It took this long to dawn on him, perhaps it was all the emotional trauma of being taken in as a pet against his will had taken his ability to think logically and thrown it out the window? None the less he watched the muscular woman carefully as she picked up the harness and tossed it to the two giggling boys, addressing the two in Russian.

He may have been clueless on the language but he had a good idea what the woman said as the two kids smiled brightly and took off running towards him. He gave a soft grunt as he back pedaled in a vain attempt to escape, this was not fair, did this woman already know he couldn't harm her kids so she sends them to finish their foolish father's task? He flashed the yeti woman a sour look as the smallest boy threw his arms around his furry neck in an effort to 'restrain' him. The dog youkai cursing the yeti-woman further in his head while the older boy draped the harness over him and started to buckle it into place. His look of utter annoyance and half lidded glare remaining unchanged as the younger boy hugged his neck and enjoyed the softness of his the thick fur. While the boy's brother finished buckling the harness in place before calling out happily and reaching out to pet him between the folded back ears.

A plan formulated in his mind, the idea of waiting till night fall when the family was all asleep to slip out of the house, his half lidded eyes rolling slowly to the overly latched door only to realize that it was framed in weapons. Shot guns and hunting rifles to be exact, his gaze traveled to the boarded up window and saw a similar set up. There were more rifles than humans in this little house, who was supposed to use all of this? His train of thought derailed as the older boy decided to climb onto his back, using the harness to hold on as he made some triumphant hoots. A vein popped above the dogs dark bushy brow as the younger boy released his neck and scrambled up his side to join his brother. Honestly…now he was a pony? Things grew worse when the eldest boy decided to spur him, the dog youkai responding with a grunt as he stubbornly sat down on his hindquarters and tried to shake the two kids off.

With the aid of the harness though both children managed to stay in place, he gave another shake in an attempt to knock them off. Their giggles starting to get on his already very frayed nerves as he let a golden eye roll back to them.

_I will not hurt the kids…._

This time the youngest one decided to try and spur his sides, only he was sitting so far back he missed the dog demons ribs and kicked the soft sides of belly instead. The dog giving a bigger grunt as another vein popped!

_I will not hurt the kids…_

_I will not hurt the kids…_

_I will not hurt the kids_…

The eldest suddenly grabbed the ends of his droopy ears and tugged on them light reins, pulling his head back as he took on a nasty expression on his canine face and another, much bigger vein popped above the first two!

_**At this rate I'll eat them instead! **_

"WOOF!" He gave another thunderous bark that made both little boys jump before he promptly rolled over onto his back in an effort to get the two of them off of him! He was no saint, he had limited patience and he had just reached the end of it! Forget waiting for the family to go to bed, not a single one of them would remain alive long enough to go to bed if this embarrassing harassment continued! The two kids scrambled away from him while still laughing merrily, they were obviously still amused by this completely unaware of what it was they were teasing! He'd had more than enough of this and quickly rolled back to his feet , trotting away from the still giggling kids. Reaching the door he reared up on his hind quarters and pawed for the latches holding it secure.

He may have lacked opposable thumbs in his canine form but he had the next best thing, Dew claws. Using that he hooked the latches and slid them to the side one by one as he braced himself on the doorway with his other paw. Behind him he heard a commotion as the fat man came running for him and the Yeti-woman started to yell. He disregarded both of them as he managed to unlock the door and pry it open enough to let him slip out into the snowy world outside.

It was absolutely freezing, the wind was blowing hard, whipping the steady snow fall around through the dark trees that surrounded the little cabin. This was salvation from the insanity, as cold and unwelcoming as it was but as he started away from the door he heard the frightened screams coming from inside the house. His golden eyes narrowed as he continued to trot through the deepening snow, let them yell he had no intention of staying in that…Wait…frightened screams? He paused several yards from the door and turned his head to look back, only to see the terrified looks on the two boys faces as they hide behind the door jam. The Yeti woman was grabbing one of the shot guns and cocking it while the train man was busy trying to pry another rifle free. A dark brow arched as the winds howled around him and drove a horrible cold that pierced even his thick fur. Did they intend to shoot him for running away?

He snuffed a little and prepared himself to leap out of harms way when the direction of the wind changed and brought with it the scent of his answer. He immediately turned back to look out over the blowing snow, beyond the rippling white he could see the deep shadows of the forest. Where up until now, the weather helped conceal the scents of several wolves lurking within it.

He guessed they were wolves at least, the scent was not quite right for a wolf, yet he could not place what exactly was off about the scent. He gazed over the dark forest, noticing then that it surrounded this little house this strange family lived in. Another quick glance to the crumbling cabin revealed the claw marks and damage along the walls and windows left by attacking creatures. The cabin was not in fact ramshackle as he had first thought, it instead was silent testament to the repeated attacks it had suffered, as did the little family that sheltered inside it. He had to wonder why hadn't these people abandoned this place already if it went under siege so often? His golden eyes widened a little as the winds changed again and carried with it a new scent, the dog demon's. It was faint but fresh, the inuyoukai was far away but still around this area!

His golden eyes narrowed again as he heard the snapping of brush, something large was moving through the forest and trying to circle around him. He lifted his head as he considered investigating when a terrified wail rose behind him. The youngest boy sounded like he was pleading, his gaze returned to the door way once more as he saw the young boy on the verge of tears. He was trying to make his way out the door and was fighting his older brother who was holding him back. Both boys calling out to him, while the younger one, unable to get free made a waving motion with his hands. Trying to coax the youkai back to the house while their mother held that rifle aimed over his head, presumably at the moving creature in the forest.

He wondered what would happen if he left, would these two boys try to follow him into the forest? His furry ear twitching as another snap was heard to his left, he was either being stalked or maybe investigated. In any case only option was clear to him now as he slowly turned and started towards the open door. Giving a gruff sound as three sets of hands grabbed him and pulled him back inside the moment he came within reach, the Yeti woman slamming the door shut and started to fasten the latches as quickly as she could. The youngest boy wasted no time in wrapping his arms tightly around his neck and burying his face in the youkai's furry shoulder. He was sobbing something but it was completely muffled and incoherent, the bearded man started to say something in a scolding tone only to stop mid sentence when the youkai flashed him a warning look.

He didn't fully understand what was going on here, he had so many questions and no easy way to get the answers. He did realize though that the mystery of the Inuyoukai that bore no markings was deepening further here. He gazed to the family as they started to recover from that frightening moment outside and began to wonder what their true intentions are here. Why are they living here when there were wolves ready to attack them every night? What were they doing here that was worth dealing with such great danger? His parental instinct stirred a little as he looked to the two boys and he wondered why they were here? If one of the wolves broke through this crummy little shacks defenses they would be the first to die. Only a stupid parent would put their children so close to death's grasp, he never once allowed his pup to be in obvious danger.

He looked down to the floor at that moment and snuffed, that last thought wasn't true, Sesshoumaru followed him everywhere beginning at a young age. Despite the dangerous path he walked he let the puppy trail him like a shadow. Of course he was protective of his child, any of his enemies who crossed paths with him while Sesshoumaru was present met a Daiyoukai father that was far more dangerous than ever before. His gaze drifted back to the younger brother who was now getting a hold of himself, he was perhaps the same age as Sesshoumaru when he first took a hold of his tail one day and refused to let go. Refused to be left behind and he had to take his son with him knowing full well the danger he was putting the puppy in. Sometimes you did what you had to do, it was a hard choice for him as he could imagine it was a hard choice for the Yeti-woman and the bearded man here.

He poked the boy in the cheek with his cold nose and gave a little smirk as the child's crying was interrupted by a small bout of giggles while his little hand clapped over his cheek. Behind the boy the Yeti-woman was going about the motions of making dinner while the bearded man sat at the table and laid his newspaper flat as he poured some odd smelling liquid into his glass. Everything seemed perfectly normal despite the threat of wolves and who knows what else lurking outside. These people were either confident or crazy. Then again he was no better as he sat there with the two children who were clinging to him as if he'd run off again at any moment. Maybe he was both as he decided to stay and discover why they were doing this and perhaps find a way to save them from the dangers lurking outside. Maybe it would bring him closer to finding out who this strange InuYoukai was.

The older boy suddenly grabbed his harness and climbed onto his back again, the youkai gave a grunt and scowled as best as a canine face could. Maybe it would also bring him closer to losing his sanity? He was pretty sure he would gain a few grey hairs before this was all over.

….

Next morning…

….

**BAM! BANG! BAM! **

He went from a light sleep to a panic attack in five seconds, instinct kicked in and he transformed into his human form without even thinking. His reward was the numerous bruises he no doubt suffered as his head and limbs slammed into chair and table legs! Last night he had taken shelter from the children under the kitchen table and ended up sleeping there through most of the night. Albeit being a very light sleep as he could not bring himself to lower his alert state, yet it was enough to leave him disorientated as he lay on his side half curled with his legs tangled in a kitchen chair and his arms covering his head. Blue orbs blinked in shock as he looked around blearily only to hear another string of very loud bangs that shook the little cabin. "What in the sevens hells…are we being bombed now!" He yelped and struggled violently, smashing the chair and sending the table flying as he leapt to his feet and charged immediately for the front door. What could be attacking them this early in the morning, had the wolves suddenly returned ? He grabbed the door handle and threw the door open, ready to leap out join in the fray.

Only there wasn't a fray…outside the bearded man was half buried in the engine compartment of that old, rusted truck. In the driver's seat was the eldest boy who hung out of the window and waited for instructions while the youngest boy was in the truck's bed looking over the tail gate at the exhaust pipe. The bearded man raised a hand and the boy quickly withdrew into the truck cabin to turn the key, the engine turning over and running for a few seconds. Before giving a string of loud BANGS that shook the thing on it's struts so violently that it sent the younger boy falling over the tail gate and into a snow pile.

The youkai stood there in the doorway, his jaw dropped and a large sweat drop rolling down, even the machines these people used were completely out of the norm. A sense of relief did wash over him though as he raised a clawed hand to rub his face, it was amazing how these people survived this long. He gazed up in time to see the Yeti-woman coming towards the door with a pile of wood in her arms and suddenly realized what he was doing! "Shoot!" He hissed and quickly shut the door, pressing his back to it as he looked around at the destroyed kitchen. "Shoot!" He hissed again as he quickly moved to try and right the furniture again, only managing to fix a single chair when he heard the door knob turn. "Damn it!" He swore and quickly raised that blue glow of light around him, transforming back into a dog just in the nick of time.

The Yeti-woman pushed open the door and crab-walked her way into the house with her load before she stopped and saw the over turned kitchen table. The vase that was on it smashed on the floor, a chair not looking much better beside it and one very miserable looking white dog sitting in the middle of it all. He looked over to the woman who stood motionless in the doorway and gave her an apologetic look, his tail wagging a little. Looking back the youkai could not recall exactly what happened in those next few moments. All he remembered was the yeti-woman's hands wrapping around his neck one minute and the weightless sensation of flying through the air the next. The only thing he could clearly remember was the snow pile he landed in outside and laid on while he regained his bearings.

Once he finished recollecting his marbles again he rolled to his feet and shook off snow from his fur. Cursing that Yeti-woman as he made his way off the snow pile and took in his surroundings. Well the house no doubt was off limits for a while and he was not interested in hanging around that loud truck while the bearded man tried to squeeze some life out of its dying motor. The sound of another motor rumbled nearby caught his attention, the youkai spotting a green colored jeep fighting it's way through the mornings fresh snow. Realizing that this was a good opportunity to explore the forest and investigate what was lurking within it last night. He waited till the bearded man and his sons attention were drawn to the approaching jeep before the youkai took the given chance and trotted off into the snowy forest that surrounded the cabin.

He kept his nose up in the air as he quickly enough picked up the scent of the wolves from the night before. The scent was still very fresh which he could confirm meant the creatures were lurking around here till morning. What he couldn't find though was the scent of the InuYoukai, just as mysteriously as it had appeared last night , it had vanished. He gave a snort as he tracked the wolf scent for now, making discontent noises when the brush and bramble he pushed through hooked onto that cursed dog harness he wore. When the brush finally cleared he emerged into a small clearing where the snow was filled with paw prints. The scent of wolf hung heavily in that clearing meaning that the creatures were hanging around here most of the night.

He made his way to the trampled snow and noticed right away how large the prints were, they defiantly had the shape of a wolves paw but were the size of dinner plates. Much larger than any normal wolf could produce, coupled with the strange wolf scent the youkai quickly surmised that whatever creatures were out here, they had to have been supernatural.

Then he came across a set of prints that made the rest look humble, from heel to toe the print was two and a half feet long. The monster that owned these if it were indeed a canine had to be easily eight to ten feet high at the shoulder. He stood there a moment and simply inspected the huge print, if these monsters were harassing that cabin it was amazing that it was still standing right now. This wolf would have crashed through the wall and brought that little cabin down like a house of cards without much trouble.

His furry ears perked a little as he heard more footfalls in the snow and realized someone was coming his way. He lifted his head then and took off running up the snowy bank and back into the brambles where his grey and white fur let him blend into the snow. At the edge of the clearing two figures pushed their way through the brush, the bearded man lead the way huffing and puffing as he held a handkerchief to his face. He looked back behind and spoke to someone in English as he waited for them to emerge. " Here my friend! Here we have where _Bodark_ was. Almost took my new dog!" The youkai perked an ear, the Russian accent was thick but he could understand English somewhat well. He watched quietly as the second person broke through the brambles next.

"You are sure these is _Bodark_ yes?" Both of the youkai's ears perked then as he realized that accent was defiantly…Japanese. He lowered his head to take a good look at the man as he pushed out into the clearing, he was wearing a tan fur lined coat and dark colored slacks. A snow cap covered his head and hid his hair but his face had the delicate features more commonly seen on an asian.

"My friend it must be a _Bodark_! These moonsters have been here in these woods for many years! They took my good dog, Viden last week and now they want new dog!" The bearded mans mustache bristled a little as he moved closer to the man and pointed to the prints on the snow. " Believe me my friend, I knows _Borark_ when I sees _Bodark_!"

The asian fellow smiled some and gave the older man a patient look, waiting for him to finish his rant before he added. " Sorry, but I thinks is can also be's _Wawkalak_." He squinted an eye closed as the bearded man practically exploded next.

" This is no work of _Wawkalak_! _Wawkalak_ harms no one, _Wawkalak_ is a cursed soul! This is _Bodark_ my friend, _Bodark_!" If the old man's face turned any redder he would look like a tomato as he jerked a finger at the paw prints with every word. In true Russian style though he started to laugh and clapped a hand over the asian mans shoulder. " My apologies Mr. H, I had stressfulls night."

Mr. H smiled again to his bearded friend as he returned the friendly clap to the shoulder and began to walk around the prints pot marking the snow. " Is alright, I see sir is very unhappy. I will do what I ca…" He stopped then and stared at the massive paw print the youkai had found before, crouching down to a knee then and reaching a hand down onto the snow. Fitting his palm and fingers into the paw print beside the huge wolves…the youkai's print. The dog blinked a moment as his curiosity mounted, his tracks had to be insignificant compared to the monster prints everywhere else, unless?

A frown grew visibly on H's face as he looked over to the next track and reached out to fit his hand carefully in that one too. His slender fingers fitting into the splayed toes of the print, his frown quickly turned into a look of concern as his head turned to follow the path the tracks took from the bramble. His look becoming more troubled by the moment as eyes followed the other tracks that went up the snow bank before he instantly froze. Causing the youkai hidden in the brush also to freeze as he only now noticed an important detail.

In that moment, two sets of golden eyes met.

…To be continued.


	9. Dog Fight

Authors note: I wanted to apologize for the late chapter, real life was getting in the way and there was a big re-edit done that was taking more time than expected. I am still committed to trying to post 2 chapters a month. I also noticed that the more that I write the more I start to notice some mistakes in previous chapters. I will be going through chapters 1-8 and correcting a few things.

Chapter 9 - Dog Fight.

_The eyes were the windows to the soul. _

Someone had once told the old Daiyoukai long ago that his golden eyes were unlike any other demons. Sometimes they glowed like molten pools, other times they shimmered with a radiance that could captivate the soul that gazed upon them. If there was one thing out of all he was ever told to him about his eyes that he believed, it was that his shade of gold was not common. Not even his first wife possessed a shade like his, her eyes resembled the golden color of honey instead. In truth the only other demon he'd ever seen with his eyes was his first born, though Sesshoumaru's golden hues were seemingly forever locked behind a sheet of ice.

So when he saw that same shade of gold gazing back to him in the middle of the Russian wilderness, he was defiantly caught by surprise. Yet what surprised the Inu No Taishou more was what he saw in those golden eyes…fear. Not something that belonged there, those beautiful golden hues were dulling every second that they remained locked with his. With slow movements he made his way through the snow covered branches that he was partially hidden behind and came to a stop at the very top of the snow bank. His ears perked in curiosity as he studied the owner of these new golden eyes. The man looked younger than the youkai had first noticed, his face had the appearance of a teenager almost, though beyond that he could see little else. His hair was tucked under a large snow hood with furry flaps that also hid his ears from view. What he also could not see on this boy's face was the marking of a youkai, the pale skin of his face lacked any marking of any kind. At first and even second glance this boy did not look like an Inu Youkai.

His posture though gave him away as a dog demon, the moment the Daiyoukai stepped out the young man shifted his position. Crouching on his toes and pulling in his hands closer to his body through the snow, causing his back to arch slightly in an effort to try and look bigger than he was. Fight or flight, that's what this young dog demon was waiting for, unaware that the old youkai was interested in neither. He looked like no one he'd ever seen and he wanted to know where this whelp came from. The only thing stopping the old youkai from getting any closer was standing right next to the young demon at that same moment. The bearded man was looking over at his companion with a confused expression on his face. Before his beady eyes followed Mr. H's line of sight up to the top of the snow bank and the white dog perched up there. His sudden laugh unknowingly shattered the growing tension that was hanging heavy in the air between the two demons.

"Haaaaa! My Friend you be scared of that? Heh heh! Look close here, see harness?" He waved a fat hand towards the Daiyoukai then before giving another hearty laugh. " See my friend this is my new dog- ***PFFT**!* -uff!"

The young demon's worried expression turned to sheer confusion as his eyes widened, he turned in time to see a large snow ball nail the bearded man in the face. Leaving him sputtering and cursing in Russian as he pawed the cold white stuff away. Back at the top of the snow bank the dog was flashing that chubby old man a menacing look. He had almost forgotten about that stupid harness and here this fool had to go point it out!

"BAH! Ah-heh…as see you, is fiesty dog, huh?" The bearded fellow tried to regain some of his composure only to turn back to the dog and in front of a still awe-struck Mr. H, he tried to coax the large white dog off the snow bank with a motion of his hand.

"Come here Doggy, yes yes, come to papa n-" ***PFFT**!*

He growled something that sounded nasty and pawed more snow from his face as he eyed the dog, trying to contain his anger. The man thrust out his hand and pointed to the patch of snow right in front of him as he snapped at the dog.

"Come here NOW! You is Dog! I is MAN! You will listen-" ***PFFT**!***PFFT!***

More snow wiped off a now red face.

"YOU IS STUPID DOG! AUURRG-" ***PFFT! PFFT! PFFT!***

The bearded man suddenly roared something in Russian as he pawed furiously at the snow caking his face before he came charging at the snow bank. Looking and sounding like an enraged polar bear. He hit the bank and started climbing up on all fours, the dog closed his eyes as a vein popped through the fur. In a graceful motion he leapt off the top of the snow bank and landed on the bearded mans back, plunging him deeply into the snow before bounding his way out of the man-shaped hole to land lightly on the snow before the young demon. Or at least where the young demon used to be. He opened his eyes and saw an empty spot where the young demon had been crouched. He gave a quick look around but did not see any foot prints leaving the scene, which meant one thing.

He growled some as he looked up, though just as the snows failed to tell him where the demon had retreated to, the skies were offering no better; as no sign or even scent of the young demon was left for him to follow. He suddenly remembered that jeep that he saw coming to the family's cabin while he was sneaking into the woods earlier, no doubt that had to belong to him! With that thought in mind the youkai took off running through the snow and back towards the cabin. Golden orbs narrowing as he heard the roar of a turning engine in the distance, he had minutes to get there and stop that younger demon from escaping.

A blue light surrounded his form as he entered the clearing where the little house stood, the light enveloping his form and carrying him up in time to see the Jeep skidding through the snow as it tried to turn around. His human form manifested seconds before he hit the hard top of the Jeep with all his weight, indenting the hard metal beneath his feet. That wasn't enough to stop the Jeep though as the engine roared and the vehicle lurched forward. Causing him to slide and belly flop down onto the roof, his claws digging into the metal as the Jeep bumped and slid its way through the snow. Weaving wildly to the left and right and forcing the youkai to hang on for dear life as he was carried off down the snow covered path.

Gritting his teeth he suddenly realized how unwise an idea this was, the young demon was obviously frightened of him and here he was attacking his car like a monster from a horror movie. Yet what choice did he have in this situation? This child was like himself and knew how to hide both his demonic aura and his scent, if he lost him now who knows when he would stumble upon him again? He gazed down to the roof and called out to the demon within as loudly as he could.

"Stop this vehicle at once! I have no interest in harming you, I only wish to ask you a few questions!"

Despite the plead to stop the only response he received was the violent back and forth sway of the Jeep as it violently fish tailed in the snow. Gritting his teeth the youkai stared ahead of him and considered another option, he just might have enough youki within him in this state to stop the vehicle himself. If he directed it in front of him and hung onto the Jeep, with the aid of the snow that provided little traction he could create an opposing enough of a force to stop their forward momentum. His blue eyes narrowed as he gazed ahead and let his demonic aura unfold, unleashing a wave of energy that passed through the air like a ripple as he reached down the front of the Jeep. Until something beneath the hood erupted and arched the sheet of metal up over the engine block, the entire vehicle lurched violently as the driver within struggled to maintain control!

He clung to the roof of that Jeep in befuddled wonder as he watched smoke pour out of the engine and heard a horrible grinding sound echoing around them. His demonic power quickly retracting back within him as he dumbly wondered what had just happened, his mind coming into sharp focus though as the Jeep suddenly hit a snow bank that launched it into the air and right over the side of the road. Beyond the snowy road was a forest covered hill that the Jeep hit like a ton of bricks and started to tumble down! The youkai could only hold on for a few seconds longer as he was slammed into the ground and had the hunk of twisted, smoking metal roll over him!

A gasp for air barely managed to force some breath into the very lungs that were just crushed a second ago by the damaged vehicle. He panicked for a second as his body was hit first by pain and then by a sudden icy chill of the snow. He sat bolt upright and regretted it a moment later as a cracked rib made it's presence known. He gazed around wildly around him till his sights settled on the climbing puffs of black smoke that rose from the bottom of the hill.

"Damn it!"

If that whelp was still in the vehicle he was no doubt hurt from the accident as well! Forcing himself to his feet he took off at an unsteady sprint down the snow covered hill, resorting to sliding down half way when his feet failed to find good purchase. The Jeep was rolled onto its side, one wheel up in the air and still spinning as smoke poured out of the engine and through the broken windows. The youkai scrambled to the driver's side and grabbed the door handle, ripping the door open a second later only to find the drivers seat empty. His jaw dropped as he gave a loud exhale of relief before his gaze drifted up. He caught just the very tail end of a green light as it vanished over the tree tops. The youkai growling something incoherent as he slammed his fist down on the Jeep in frustration. Further bending the vehicles frame before he drew that hand over his cracked rib and began to limp away as flames began to peek out from the engine.

He hopped on one foot and then the other to see how badly he was hurt, when the limbs felt like they would support him well enough he took off running in the direction where he saw the glimmer of green dissipate. He would not give up so easily especially when he was this close, he pushed through the dense forest brush and swatted aside branches as he pressed on. His upright form though was proving to be a hindrance as he found himself having to duck to get past the forests obstacles. He began to growl obscenities as his layers of clothing were becoming caught in the gnarled reach of thorns and his hair was becoming entangled and pulled on by the prickly needles of dense pine. At that moment it felt like everything in mother Russia was trying to put itself between the old Daiyoukai and that escaping dog demon.

Or perhaps something out there was trying to warn him?

He burst into a small clearing in the woods and skid to a stop in the snow, his blue eyes peering out from under his now disheveled black hair into the snowy world around him. The clearing looked calm and serene, the blanket of fresh snow that covered the ground and the trees sparkling in the sunlight. He caught sight of a snow rabbit as it burst from the brambles and darted past him. The forest falling into a deathly silence once it was past, a foreboding feeling coming over the youkai as it seemed the whole forest was standing very still. Something was coming and all of nature seemed to know it, something dangerous. He lifted his head to draw in a few sniffs of the air to find what and his answer came with the scent of wolf. The scent quickly becoming stronger every moment that passed, telling him that they were coming in his direction.

It was the same, strange wolf scent that he encountered that night outside of the rickety little house. He almost felt a little pity for these wolves, here he was frustrated beyond belief at the loss of the dog demon without markings and these wolves chose now to hunt him. He could understand why they were looking for him, a stranger in their territory as he was, but he was in a bad mood at the moment and these unlucky creatures were in the wrong place at the wrong time.

He flexed his clawed fingers then as his demonic aura flared outward, creating a little ripple along the surface of the snow he stood on as it brushed over it. As the power rose it overwhelmed the magic of that little blue crystal, the youkai closing his eyes a moment as he drew a calming breath and mused out loud as his demonic features surfaced.

"If I accomplish only one thing this evening, it shall be to teach a few curs to fear Inuyoukai." He stated in a growl-laced tone that echoed through the otherwise silent forest. He knew the wolves were closing in on him and he wasn't surprised by how silent these massive creatures could be, after all he was well versed in the art himself. Unlike the Daiyoukai though the wolves could not hide their scents or the supernatural aura that clung to them. The closer they came the better the youkai could sense them, when they were near the edge of the clearing he could feel three of them as they tried to surround him. The youkai standing perfectly still and unassuming while the wolves moved like wraiths through the dense brush, never once disturbing the blanket of silence covering the clearing.

Then he heard the sound of heavy paws hitting the snow behind him, the youkai turning quickly on a heel as his golden eyes opened in time to see the first wolf break through the tree line. It gave a deep-growling snarl as it's only warning before it leapt for him, the great beast's claws extended as it tried to maul the youkai where he stood. He gracefully pitched his form to one side as the beast's clawed paw missed him by a mere inch or two. Sparing him from being gored as he bound back to escape while getting a first up-close view of his opponent.

He may have may have seen the tracks left in the snow by these monsters earlier in the day, but they didn't really prepare him to see the wolf in the flesh. The beast …for a lack of a better name had a hulking body with a large chest and thick legs. It lacked any of its mortal kin's grace as the monster had to swing its legs out to walk. Its head was large and mounted on a short, fat neck that supported the jaws on it that had a slight over bite. If the youkai had to best describe this creature, he'd call It an ugly cross between a bulldog and a wolf.

He'd not get the time to marvel at this monstrous wolf as it quickly proved that despite it's bulk it could move quite fast! It caught his trailing leg in its oversized jaws as he tried to leap back, surprising the youkai who underestimated how nimble this monster could be. Not a mistake he could afford to repeat as he felt the bones in his limb beginning to break, the youkai struggled to keep his balance on one free leg as he lashed out with a clawed hand to tear at the thick neck of the wolf. The beast dug its hind legs into the snow as it skid to a stop with its prey captured only recoil when it felt the demons claws shredding through it's tough hide and flesh of its neck. The wolf hurling it's prey off into a tree with enough force to crack the trunk, the youkai giving a snarl of his own as he had no chance to right himself before hitting the flora.

His back connecting with the trunk hard enough to knock the tree over as he landed on the ground. Snow and twigs landing all around him as he stretched out an arm and flexed his clawed fingers. His golden eyes glaring through his tousled bangs at his opponent as an eerie glow surrounded the tips of his clawed fingers.

His leg was badly damaged but he had no time to assess the extent of the damage and pulled the mauled leg beneath him before he kicked off his position. Using his unnatural speed to close the gap on the wolf, the tactic was not exclusive to the youkai though as the wolf proved it could be just as fast as the youkai. It's claws though were not as deadly as the demon's however as demonic power trailed from each finger tip and wickedly sliced into the wolves skull like blades.

He hit the snow unsteadily as his broken leg was offering him very little support, he recovered though as he watched the wolf struggle and shriek, pawing at where the side of it's face used to be and splattering gore all over the white snow. It wasn't defeated though and it definitely wasn't alone, he could now hear the rustle of the brush around him as the other two were getting in position. No doubt excited enough by the sounds of battle and the smell of blood to abandon their advantage of stealth. His golden eyes narrowed as he searched the perimeter of the clearing for them when he caught movement in the corner of his eye. The wounded wolf was coming at him in a fit of rage and agony, a final death throw while it still had the strength.

The youkai used his youki and his one good leg to take to the air just as the wolf bared down on him. Bringing him up and over the large body as it careened past him, leaving the youkai hanging in the air only a second or two as his form twisted around. Silvery white hair fanned all around him while he drew up an arm and flexed his wickedly clawed fingers. Then using that same burst of youki to shoot himself back down to the wolf he utilized the momentum to hit the beast between the shoulder blades and drive his clawed hand through the back of its skull as he landed. The beast below him giving a roar that was cut abruptly short as its spine was severed in an instant. The monstrous wolf convulsing beneath him before it sunk to the trampled snow.

It was then that the second wolf chose to attack, while the youkai was freeing his hand from the shattered skull of his first victim he noticed the incoming form of the next wolf a second too late. He barely had the chance to brace himself as he was hit hard from the side and sent hurtling into the snow. Landing hard on his back he skid to a stop and immediately raised both arms to catch the massive paw that sought to pin him down. In a display of his own beastly strength the youkai twisted that paw violently to the side and was rewarded with the sound of the monster's 'wrist' snapping. The wolf gave a snarl of pain as its paw was twisted in an unnatural angle in his prey's grasp, the huge beast suddenly rolled itself over and hauled the youkai with him.

He wasn't ready to let go of the wolf yet though any thought of using the momentum of the beast's roll to his advantage was dashed when he felt the wolves hind paw strike him hard in the stomach. Had he been a canine about the same size as the wolf, then the kick would have gored him, perhaps that was the one good thing about his current state. Unfortunately it did not make up for the fact that in his current form he was easily tossed around by these monsters. As the wolf's kick sent him head over heels in flight towards the snow once again, though he'd never reach it just yet. The third wolf made it's appearance then as it erupted from the tree line, its huge paw swapping at the flying body of the youkai. Spiking him like a ball down into the blood covered snow between the two wolves. The youkai force to dig both hands and his one useful foot into the snow to stop himself from sliding any further, lest he be used for a game of ping pong between the two.

Down on all fours a deep growl that sounded like it belonged to a demon much larger rumbled from him. Narrowed slits of gold shimmered from behind his messy white hair as he glared at the wolves as they started to move in on him from either side, one limping along. Each growled back in response and made threatening motions, each trying to get his attention so the other could deliver the killing strike. The youkai though did not give into their tricks, instead his shifted his weight and pushed himself back up onto his good leg, his head bowed as he fiend a look of surrender. He drew both hands out to either side of him, raising his arms like wings as all ten finger tips were enveloped in a shimmer of blue energy.

The wolves took what they thought was an opportunity to strike and lunged for him one after the other. The youkai waiting for that very instant, drawing up his mangled leg he executed a single spinning turn. His clawed hands making slashing motions through the air as he unleashed blue trailing blades of energy that circled around him before slicing out through the air at both wolves.

Both beasts were not expecting the attack and reeled as the blades that slashed through their bodies. Raining blood and gore as the youkai collapsed back down onto a knee due to his ruined limb, golden orbs following the two wolves as one stumbled back from it's severed fore limb while the other shook its head furiously, missing one eye, one ear and the portion of skull in between.

As gruesome as the wound was it would not stop the wolf from reeling back and coming at the youkai once more with it's jaws agape. A roar rising from the monster as it sought to take out as much of the demon as it could with one bite. Crouched on the snow as he was he arched his back and dug his hands and one good foot into the snow for purchase before he lunged forward himself with a clawed hand raised and flattened like a blade. Relying on his own unnatural speed to close the gap to meet with the wolf head on like two samurai on a collision course. The youkai though was well practiced in samurai combat, he veered to the left just enough to avoid his opponents fang filled mouth. Before he plunged his claws into the side of the wolves neck.

The problem with having unnatural speed is the effort it took to stop once you were in motion, in the wolf's case there was no hope of stopping in time as the youkai used the monsters momentum to tear a huge wound the full length of its body. The act though send a wave of blood over the youkai, showering him in warm crimson fluid that covered his face and blinded him for a moment as he hit the snow. He hissed a curse as he raised an equally blood covered sleeve to wipe off his face and shake himself off. He noticed a familiar flavor as he licked the sticky crimson off his lips, human blood, but didn't have the time to ponder on it. He shot a look to the wolf that suffered his claws as it staggered and trailed quite a bit of itself through the trampled snow before it finally sank down.

That left only one, the three legged wolf was nearly bled out and despite it's huge hulk it scrambled and scraped it's unsteady feet to try and charge at the youkai. He could very well tell it was weak and maneuvered himself so that a tree was directly behind him. The youkai waiting for the beast to bare down on him before he bound out of the monsters path at the last moment, letting the beast hit the tree with a sickening crack sound. Snow and tree branches raining down all around it as the beast succumbed to it's blood loss.

He was by no means graceful when he finally landed in the snow, no one really could land on their rear end gracefully, even ancient youkai. His mauled leg buckling painfully the moment he landed and oozed a steady stream of crimson as he sat there on the frozen ground. Reminding him how badly injured he was after this mess, but any hope of paying his injuries any attention came and went in a heart beat as he immediately felt the air around him become thick and heavy with an approaching aura. To his left the sounds of trees breaking marked the passage of something massive, with a discontented grunt the demon pushed himself off the snow. Hobbling on one limb as he looked up in time to see the tops of once mighty trees violently jerking and tumbling over. His gaze drifted to the darkened forest as the trees parted way and unleashed a thick cloud of snow falling in their wake. He raised a clawed hand before him in a threatening manner, his finger tips once more lighting with youki. The final word of his attack rolling on the tip of his tongue as he waited for the opportune moment.

Until he bit the end of that tongue, his golden orbs widening as he took in the large beast, caught completely off guard as it broke through the trees to stand before him.

With fur as white as the surrounding snow and eyes as crimson as blood, the large Inuyoukai retuned the Daiyoukai's look.

….To be continued.


	10. Golden Eyes

Chapter 10 - Golden eyes.

A deathly silence hung in the forest around him as if everything was standing still, nothing moved, the skies lacked birds, not even the wind blew. It felt as if the entire wood stopped and held its collective breath when the Inuyoukai burst through the trees. His crimson eyes locked on the only figure still standing in the trampled snow and regarded him silently. The Inu no Taishou knew all too well that among dog demons, just like their mortal kin, posture and body language spoke volumes. Despite his injuries he pulled his mangled leg under him and put weight on it, he straightened his back as he raised his chin and took on an overall regal appearance. His golden eyes locked on the crimson pools above him, staring the whelp down, or up depending on how you looked at it.

The dog demon shifted his weight and gave a low growl, squirming some under the more confident demon's gaze. The whelp stood a good fifteen feet high at his shoulder, his body was slender and lean under a sleek coat of silvery white fur that looked too thin for the Russian climate. A ridge of soft gray fur started off at his shoulders and ran along his spine in a Y shape before adding to his very thick tail that was currently curled near his haunches. With his delicate looking , long head and neatly folded back, feathery ears this demon looked quite elegant for one of his kind. Unfortunately, with his lithe and slender physique he did not look like a fighter and he knew that all his posturing was not fooling the Daiyoukai that was currently glaring at him from the blood covered snow.

Now that he was confident this whelp didn't have the gall to attack him despite the size advantage, he began to relax his own posture a little. Until something caught his attention, a steak of blue against the white fur, golden eyes finally broke eye contact as his gaze shot up to the whelps forehead and the clear crescent moon that stood out against his fur. His jaw dropped and without thinking he tried to approach the dog demon, immediately paying for it as his leg buckled and he nearly fell. Hopping on one leg he struggled to regain his balance and some dignity, while biting back a curse and grit his teeth.

"Who are you! I know of only two others that bear that crescent moon! I've never seen you before...where do you hale from!" He winced a little when he realized his tone carried far more bite to it than he intended and the Inuyoukai in front of him picked up on it without fail. The whelp dragged his hind paws through the snow as he backed up, giving in ground to the older demon who was starting to become irate. Before he craned his elegant neck and made a noise that sounded like a half whimper and half bark.

"I hate to disappointed you whelp but I will not speak ARF! " He growled through his clenched teeth as he straightened himself back up and paid his wounds a little more mind. He drew a long breath in an effort to compose himself and tried again in a gentler tone. " Please...transform into a state I can understand you in."

The whelp turned his head to the side and looked ready to take off at any moment, his bright, pin point pupil rolled to the older demon in a side long glance then as he remained silent and tried to act like he was indifferent, even though the smell of his fear hung heavy in the air. Then the older dog spooked the whelp with a sudden movement coupled with a snarl that made him jump! This time that thick tail curled between his legs and his long ears flattened as he regarded the older demon warily. It was an ingrained habit of the Inu No Taishou to shake his opponents confidence whenever the opportunity rose, even when he didn't mean to. His leg hurt and thus his usual grace was lacking as he took a hobbling step towards the whelp. Which unintentionally made the Daiyoukai look menacing and he realized it too late as the whelp began to back up and give in more ground. It was such an unnatural sight, almost a humorous sight but with the whelps lack of cooperation coupled with the pain he was enduring from his fight wounds, he was becoming more and more frustrated by the moment.

"Unbelievable! I finally manage to meet you face to face after chasing you through this forest and fighting off these wolves and of all things you confront me in this form! What did you hope to accomplish here whelp! What were you thinking!"

His normal composure was out the window, having been shot through the glass by his seething temper that also squashed whatever patience he had left. He regarded the dog demon with narrowed golden eyes and clenched teeth that bore his fangs. This had to be a joke and he was in no mood to laugh at the moment, he was fuming mad at the moment and the whelp was greatly aware of as he seemed to fidget under the Daiyoukai's withering glare. The younger demon backed up another step as his ears sank, responding to the older demons vicious sounding rant with another bark.

He sucked in a breath through his clenched teeth and balled his hands into fists at his side as a threatening growl rumbled through his words. " Fine then, if all you wish to do is woof, then I will gi...ve...**yo..u...a...WOOF**!" His words warped as his tone deepened, his demonic power flared around him as bright crimson over took his widening eyes. His face beginning to take on his demonic appearance when the blue light engulfed him. It was all the younger dog demon needed to see as he turned on a heel and was trying to weave his way back through the trees.

The Daiyoukai landed on all fours and was already barking viciously at the whelp as he staggered through the trampled snow, sending the younger demon high tailing it through the trees as fast as he could. Snapping branches and sending snow flying in his frantic effort to escape the enraged youkai behind him. In hind site it was an amusing scene that he would keep as a fond and funny memory, right now though he was not amused as his leg was far more painful than before. Transforming warped flesh and bone during the process, it also deepened wounds and widened fractures. This fact contributed to his death long ago when he transformed twice to reach his beloved and it was a big factor now as it prevented him from chasing the whelp down. He gave up barking in favor of a whimper as he sunk down into the snow, reduced to only watching the whelp as he took off and humoring himself with thoughts of how he could have taught that pup to respect his elders had he been his once great size.

He gave a snort as the sounds of the whelp faded into the forest, leaving him alone in the clearing under a blanket of silence. Crimson eyes closed half way as he tried to calm his broiling anger, his thoughts trailing to what little he discovered of this whelp. But he had far more questions now than the few pieces of information he discovered could answer. He gazed down to the snow where the giant paw print was left by the whelp, the same giant print the saw among the wolf tracks near the cabin. He began to wonder what this whelp was doing with wolves, he obviously had great involvement with them from what he saw so far. Was he allied with the wolves or even part of their pack? Yet he did not join the battle as he slaughtered the attacking wolves, he only came after…but for what? He tilted his head a little as he thought back to the very first moment they made eye contact, he was cloaked in the crystals spell, but the whelp instantly knew exactly what he was.

His thoughts though were interrupted as he heard the sounds of humans moving through the forest behind him, still irritated that he'd been denied a chance to blow off some steam he let his head sink down between his paws. Taking a few moments to retract his demonic aura and allow the crystal to once more mask his true nature. The humans were already in for a surprise once they saw the scattered corpses of men,…wait…of men? Golden orbs grew wide as he did a double take, then quickly surveyed the area around him. Confusion evident in his eyes as he stared at what should have been the torn bodies of wolves! Instead he saw humans, naked humans at that, bearing his claw marks that felled them laying in the blood soaked snow.

Panic quickly replaced anger as he realized how bad this looked, he was the only survivor in the center of a massacre. Although he was quite wounded he had blood on his forepaws and over his face and neck that obviously looked incriminating. He looked like a monster that went on a murderous rampage and he began to worry over what the humans would think when they saw him. Golden orbs shot to the forest as he heard something making its way towards the break in the brush that surrounded the clearing. No doubt they were followed the tracks he left in the snow in his mad dash through the forest. His answer came a minute later as a man wearing a red winter coat and knitted hat burst through the tree line, stopping in his tracks at the edge of the carnage. He quickly spotted him in the snow and immediately raised his hunting rifle, aiming right for the white dog laying there.

Tension and fear could be easily seen on his face as he sunk down to a knee and kept his sights and his gun on his target. Shouting something in Russian, possibly to whoever else was following him here, disregarding the white dogs bewildered look. The man looked trigger happy and the youkai feared he'd have to add to the body count here when the Yeti woman burst through the brush next and stopped to look around, a grim look on her face. Behind her the bearded man stumbled through the brush cursing something angrily before he too joined his wife as they took in the gory scene.

He began to feel a small since of relief but then he remembered what he looked like, these people have known him a full day. Not nearly enough time to develop any kind of trust and he feared they would also see him as a blood thirsty monster. His golden eyes followed the yeti woman as she studied the scene around her. The calm and collective manner in which she took in the horrific sight made the youkai think that she was no stranger to seeing this much carnage and his curiosity was piqued somewhat. The Yeti woman suddenly responded to the rifle-aiming man with a single word and the fellow lowered his weapon, though he neither dropped his gaze nor removed his finger from the trigger.

Silence once more fell over the clearing as both of the men watched the woman as she made her way through the trampled snow and towards the dog. His golden eyes followed the Yeti woman's every move as she sunk to a knee beside his injured form and slowly reached out a hand out to him, palm facing down. He was shivering from his wounds and the intense Russian cold that was working through his blood soaked fur. He must have looked like a frightening sight but the woman's face bore a look of concern, not fear, which perhaps was a little encouraging. Stretching his neck he lightly nudged the woman's hand with his cold nose and she responded by moving closer to pet him along his neck, leaning in closer to inspect his wounds. Completely missing the look of relief on the inuyoukai's canine face.

The bearded man clomped his way through the snow to join her a moment later to inspect the battered pet they had abducted -adopted. Making a comment to his wife as she reached down and unfastened the buttons of her coat. The garment was laid out before him as the couple both carefully took a hold of his bloodied body and pulled him on to it. A make shift stretcher that he balled himself up in the center of as the couple took a hold of the coats ends and lifted him up. He settled in for the long trip back to the little families home as the couple carried him back off, closing his eyes to try and think over his situation.

_Later that evening…_

He had never shivered so much in his life, he never once could remember being this absurdly cold. Demons weren't known to catch a cold but if he didn't warm up soon he might find an acceptation to that. He was completely soaked, his fur bristled on end, no thanks to the bearded man who had decided the best way to remove the blood from the dog was to drench him outside with well water! Despite his ruined leg he made sure to shake himself off all over the fool as vengeance before being dragged in and laid on a bed of straw heaped up in the corner of the room that served as dining room and kitchen. His golden eyes locked on the fire burning in the stove nearby as he silently hoped it would heat the room up quickly.

The sound of the front door opening caught his attention and he gazed back in time to see the bearded man entering with an older gentlemen that carried with him a large , rectangular case. At first he ignored this new comer, he was too cold at the moment to care who these crazy people brought home. Then he felt a slight tug on his ear and twitched, looking back in disdain as the elderly man set down his large case before sitting himself down. The man looked like he was in his seventies and dressed like he was from the 1800s, with a brown and black suit that looked worn out and patched in places. He had thick white curls of greasy hair rimming around a big bald spot and a pair of glasses that looked like the lenses were a quarter inch thick. Although the one thing that struck the youkai more than the old mans strange appearance, was the scent of sour alcohol that hung in the air like a thick cloud around them. Even the old mans breath was rank with the scent of drinks he no doubt enjoyed before coming here. The youkai crinkled his nose before burying it under a paw.

Perhaps if he showed no interest to this visitor then he would leave him alone to shiver and rest, but a pair of soft clicks nearby signaled that his hope was in vain. The youkai's eyes widening a little as the old man clicked open his case and unfolded it, reveling a full stash of medical equipment. To his horror the realization hit, this old drunkard was a veterinarian, to further the horror, this vet was really quite drunk. He was swooning a little as he fished out a pair of rubber gloves and pulled them on with a snap! The sound jolting the youkai out of his moment of fear and brought him back to a rational state of mind. This was just a vet, probably called to tend his wounds though in a week if left alone they would be gone anyway. He just had to endure this 'examination' and whatever treatment followed it.

That was something he mentally had to repeat over and over as the vet poked and prodded at his wounds, on one end the drunk mans hands were gentle and caused him little pain. But the draw back was the fact the vets hands wandered all over him, including places he'd never want a man's hand to go feeling! In the back of his mind he was aware that Veterinarians needed to be thorough but that wasn't enough to stop the dog from kicking his back paw right into the old coots face when he got too feely! The old man stumbling back and barely catching himself as the youkai gave a low growl while curling himself up into a tight ball. He felt thoroughly violated at the moment and had no further intent on letting the old man lay another finger on him.

The bearded man laughed something heartily and walked over to help the elderly man sit back up, the two exchanging words in Russian as the vet reached into the case and pulled out a syringe and a small vial. He watched the two men suspiciously as the vet shakily filled the syringe, his ears slowly flattening back as the wet fur along his spine rose on end. Like hell would he allow this drunkard to inject anything into him and with that he gave a warning snarl to the vet! Effectively spooking the elderly man into retreating back, the bearded man also gawking in fright at the sudden aggression from the dog. He knew what would happen, the yeti woman would call her kids to calm him, he needed to escape before that! He'd rather risk the bitter cold than discover what was in that injection! Rising to all three's the youkai kept his head low and his fangs bared as he hobbled slowly off the pile of straw.

He managed to get about three or four feet into his escape when something heavy came down onto his back without warning! An arm circled around his neck in a hold so tight he could barely breath, while another strong hand grabbed him under the muzzle and twisted his head to the side, forcing his body to follow suit or risk having his neck snapped! A golden eye managed to lock onto the yeti woman's face, an almost sadistic looking smile present there as she held the dog down while the vet crawled over and stabbed the needle into his shoulder. The dog gave a mix of a snarl and half surprised cry as he wriggled and struggled, but without being able to get his paws under him there was little hope of him breaking free.

It didn't take him long to discover what it was that the vet has stuck him with as the world was growing fuzzy before his eyes. When his body began to relax the yeti woman's brutal grip also lessened. The last thing he could feel was his form being picked up and moved back onto the straw, a hand gently stroking one of his drooped ears and neck as darkness of sleep overcame him.

…

_When his eyes finally opened he was greeted by the sight of a low ceiling, covered in strange symbols. He stared dumbly at it for a long moment as he tried to get his bearings, wondering where was he anyway? His gaze slowly moving around the immediate area, finding only darkness surrounding him, then down to himself as he realized he was laying naked on a stone table. The boiling liquid from before was long gone, replaced by a cold air that sent a chill through his body. He pushed his discomforts aside as he started to move, drawing his arms up in an attempt to get up. Quickly noticing that they were weak, felt like they were weighed down and he couldn't find the strength to prop himself on his elbow well. But he ignored that as he swung his legs over and slid off the table to stand up. _

_His legs immediately buckled and sent him crashing to the floor, his hands clawing at the stone table to stop him from doing a belly flop onto hard earth. Anchoring himself a little as he growled in annoyance, what was going on? Had he been laying down immobile for so long that his limbs turned to jelly? He'd heard from somewhere that joints degenerate from lack of use, was that what happened to him? In a fit of sheer willpower he forced his legs to move, planting his feet under him as he slowly forced himself up, knocking his knees together to give him some stability as he managed to get off the floor. His grip though remained on the table as he looked around a moment, where in the seven hells was he? _

_A set of blue , shimmering eyes caught him by surprise, he glared back at them as he quickly came to the assumption that he was not alone. He growled lowly at the intruder and waited for him to make a move, but after a few long minutes it seemed both would remain squared off for now. _

_He took the time to better inspect this person, taking a good look at the stranger, he looked about the same height as the dog demon, but he had short black hair that tousled and allowed to grow unkempt. He also curiously noticed that the stranger was also naked as he stood in what looked like a doorway. At that moment he also realized that the 'stranger', like him, was also desperately clinging to a table. His eyes widened when he suddenly realized that what he thought was a door way was really…a mirror…and the stranger staring at him really was…_

_His angered look was quickly replaced by one of shock, his mind reeling a moment he turned completely forgetting that his legs were not going to cooperate with him. The effort ended when he fell fully onto the floor, his head bouncing off the stone beneath him. Making him see stars for a second or two but he did not let the blow slow him down long, forcing his limbs to work he started to crawl his way towards the mirror. His blue-eyed gaze staring through the tangled mess of black hair as he stared at his reflection. This couldn't be him, why would he ever look like this? He possessed no spell that could change his appearance in such a way, the confusion was plain to see on his face as he neared the mirror and reached out to touch the surface, checking to see if it was some enchanted artifact that hid the truth. But as his finger tips brushed the smooth surface he realized he was wrong. _

'_Worry not, for as time passes your demonic features will shine through once more.' _

_He hissed a little then as he heard that cursed voice, its words of little comfort as he looked around the chamber he was in, seeing a dark figure standing near the real doorway of the room. A low growl rumbled in his throat as he watched the figure slowly approach him. "Are you responsible for this? Where the hell am I and what have you done to me!"_

'_I've only done as you have wished, with my brothers and sisters we have brought you back. Though our services come with a price..'_

_Another growl sounded from the dog demons throat as he began to struggle to rise, snapping back irritably. " You're a fool, I did not ask to be brought back like this…I am not even the same person!" _

_The dark figure stopped several feet away and raised a very slender, long fingered hand. 'You wished to return, we have returned you to this world though I regret to say that your corpse could not be recovered. You needed this new body and in time it will become easier to control." _

_His effort to rise failed miserably as he sunk back down once more to the floor with a grunt. He was about to try again when he felt the strength sap from him within moments and he slumped to the floor like a rag doll. His eyes still open and focused on the dark figure as he closed in. _

'_We will discuss this further when the time is appropriate, till then you must return to your resting spot.'_

…

Three days later...

He certainly had a long time to think, he was laying on a thick cushion in the corner of the kitchen, his muzzle resting over his paws as his golden eyes followed the Yeti woman through her morning chores. The youkai still held a little resentment, he had no idea this human had both the strength and the wrestling skill to tackle him! He was not interested in a repeat performance and spent his days laying there and thinking. The dream from that night haunted him and the things he'd learned from that day troubled him. So needless to say, he was not bored, not that his thoughts were all that occupied his time. Last night the bearded man came home with a large envelope full of photographs, he could not see much from the floor, but he could make out the bodies of his attackers in the forest.

He only wished he could take a better look, but his leg was wrapped in a splint and healing and healing slowly, no thanks to his refusal to eat any of the dog food offered to him. He was quite hungry but under the twenty four hour a day surveillance by the family he was stuck where he was and unable to hunt. The youngest boy had even taken up sleeping next to him at night, curled up on the comforter and pillow he pulled off his own bed. It was a mixed blessing, he was touched that the family cared enough to give him the peace and quiet he needed to recover, even the bearded man left him alone. But he was not content receiving all the constant attention, if he so much as made a noise one of the boys was at his side in a second. He never was one to let others fuss over him, no matter how injured he was he tried not to count on anyone for help.

His thoughts trailed back to the Dog Demon with out facial markings, thinking back he realized that the young demon only lacked markings on his cheeks. His crescent moon was hidden under a hat during that first encounter, but then the second encounter threw him for a loop entirely. He dared think this whelp was possibly decedent from Sesshoumaru, but he obviously was not a fighter, a point against that assumption. His first son was the living, breathing definition of a warrior, everything he did in his life was in accordance to the warriors way. Perhaps his first wife took a page out of his book and took another male, resulting in this inuyoukai? But then, that would only explain the crescent moon, the whelps eyes on the other hand still bore no other explanation.

It also left him with no answers, Sesshoumaru he suspected was long since dead, even if his parental connection to his son was severed hundreds of years ago, he believed the Taiyoukai more than likely pushed himself to his own end. Sesshoumaru was stubborn and didn't always think things through carefully, he routinely welcomed any trouble he came across and rarely turned down a challenger. The word "retreat" was not in his vocabulary and his sense of honor was a borderline obsession. He would not be surprised if Sesshoumaru finally ran into an opponent that cracked his thick skull and killed him. Then again...it was for those same reasons that he would have never expected his first son to accept a woman into his life, never mind raising a puppy that lacked fighting skill. Yet this whelp had his eyes.

A sudden booming sound jerked him from his thoughts, he tensed for a moment till the sound echoed again, reminding him of the terrifyingly loud truck outside. His attention returned to the Yeti woman as she called out near the door while putting her winter coat on. A thunder of steps through the cabin announced the eldest son who came running while putting on his winter coat. Stopping before his mother who pulled a hat over the boys head before nudging him out the door. He watched on in wonder as the two filed out and shut the door behind them, a few moments later and that truck drove off with a loud roar. Leaving him all alone in the cabin, home alone, no one around, the whole place to himself. He remained staring at the door in disbelief for a few minutes, waiting for someone to come back in. But when nothing happened he dared accept the fact that the family …had up and left him.

Days of patience had finally paid off and he wasted no time as he curled himself up and started to chew off the bandages that held his splint, plucking them off one by one before the whole thing finally fell away from his leg. Giving the limb an experimental stretch once it was freed of the binds before his whole body followed suit, his form rolling off the pillow as a blue light enveloped it. Once more in his human form he stood up carefully, bracing himself against the wall as he gingerly straightened his leg out.

He knew that it was a foolish idea to transform without the limb being fully healed but damn it he was starving and he didn't want to try cooking in dog form! Once he was sure the leg would not buckle under him, he limped his way towards the kitchen table and pulled off his small bag that carried what few personal belongings he had, turning his attention to the kitchen that was his for a little while.

Ideally a large dinner of meat would have been preferable but all he could find was a couple of butchered rabbits in the cooling chest. Making due he grabbed a pot and set about making rabbit stew, his thoughts wandering off to the wolves as he cut the vegetables and rabbit meat into small pieces. Since the battle the cabin had not seen another night like the first. He never so much as even caught the scent of a wolf around the cabin and began to wonder if the very same wolves that had harassed the family that night were the ones that lay dead in the forest? He set the pot on the stove to cook and limped his way towards the kitchen table that still had the envelope laying on it.

He carefully opened the envelope and upended it, sliding its contence out onto the table top. A collection of large photos and a few pages of hand written notes along with sketches of maps, possibly of the forest around him. But as he stared at the notes he was reminded that he was far away from home and that Russian scrawl was nothing like Kanji. He reached out towards his bag and buried a hand within, pulling out his glasses case after a little pawing around.

He carefully opened the old, dusty case and plucked the antique looking spectacles from the inside. Fitting them carefully onto his face before gazing back down at the note. Quietly watching as before his eyes the dark lettering began to shimmer and fade, replaced instead by the kanji that seemed to almost bleed through the paper. "My discoveries of the mesa pack." He read out loud with a soft murmur before continuing. "Pack activities have intensified for the _Bodark_, agitation runs through the pack and…"

"Gasp!"

He froze the moment he heard that tiny voice, the youkai slowly raising his eyes from the scribbled on paper. Peering over his glasses as he returned the stare of the houses youngest boy. The child stood there, gawking at him openly, his eye lit up in wonder, not fear. He blinked a moment and tilted his head a little to the child in confusion, his eyes following the young boy's hand as he quickly raised it and pointed a finger at him, shouting excitedly!

"_Wawkalak_!"

…To be continued.


	11. Not All Wolves Are Created Equal

Chapter 11 Not all wolves are created equal.

The youkai was proud of his cooking skill and in all truth he actually enjoyed cooking, it was a survival skill that turned into something of a hobby. So despite the unfamiliar ingredients and odd circumstances, he still managed to make a really nice bowl of hot stew. It wasn't his best, but he was too hungry to really care about it and the little boy who was currently gobbling down the hot food seemed really happy with it. The old Daiyoukai nibbled on a hunk of bread as he watched the youngest of the yeti woman's brood. Taking the moment to marvel over the fact that the two of them were even at the table currently.

Normally if a person saw a strange man cooking in their kitchen they would be a little surprised, maybe even frightened, but this boy laid eyes on him and gave an excited response. Leaving the Inu No Taishou to stand there and stare back in befuddlement, not an expression one typically saw on his face. The look deepened as the boy ran over to his side and circled him, a big smile on his face as he said something excitedly in Russian. Thankfully for the both of them, the boy knew a little English which eased the language barrier somewhat, though both their accents made it difficult still.

Now with them sitting at the table sharing lunch, the youkai saw his chance to ask the excitable child some questions.

"Can you tells me what ah 'Wawkalak' is please?"

It was the question that had been stuck on the top of his list of curiosities ever since he over heard the conversation between the Bearded man and the strange inuyoukai. The boy opened his mouth while it was still full of food and thought better of it when he saw the scolding look on his face. Hurriedly grabbing his cup the boy took a big gulp of drink to wash his food down before answering.

"Iz Wolf peoples!"

The youkai tilted his head a little, that wasn't much of an explanation and he reached out to grab the files he'd been looking at. Setting them down on the table between them before pointing to one of the pictures of the paw prints. The boy looked over the presented documents and rubbed his nose a little before he commented.

"Thiz iz Bodark, iz bad wolf peoples."

A dark brow arched a little as he took another bite of stew and thought back to when he had fought those wolves. They returned to humans after death, could they have been something like a werewolf? Finally he looked to the boy and waved a hand motioning him to continue.

" Sorry, I do-u not understands. What is differences?"

The boy set down his spoon then and slid out of his chair, making his way quickly around the table to run off into the living room. Leaving him sitting there a little perplexed with a bite of bread hanging from his mouth. He didn't have to wait long though as the child returned to the table, clutching a tattered looking book that looked like it had seen better days. Climbing back into his chair the child set the book down and opened it to an earmarked page showing an illustration of a wolf and what looked like a dark entity behind it. The boy quickly explaining as best he could while the youkai was reaching for his glasses.

"Bodark iz evil, Bodark iz people that make deals with demons. Demon make people be Bodark and make themz work forever!"

He looked over the pages once his glasses were put on, little by little the old Russian texts re-aligned them selves to kanji that he could understand. He skimmed the page and quickly came to realize that the 'Bodark' were poor souls foolish enough to seek aid from a demon and found themselves condemned to an existence as a demons servant. Or more specifically a certain demon named Marchosias, as he read further down the page a frown grew on his face as he read the demons title; 'Grand Marquis of the underworld - Commander of 30 legions of demons.'

As the 'Dog General' he was no stranger to commanding youkai, but he was well aware that, with a few exceptions, demons were notoriously ill suited to working together very well. It took a Taiyoukai with considerable power to bring a legion of demons under control, a Daiyoukai with a massive amount of power to control a bigger army. In his life time he had at most ten legions under his control at one point and he was stretched to his limit to accomplish that. Keeping a mob of demons organized was not an easy task and this Grand Marquis of a demon had 30 legions at his disposal. Either the demons in these northern lands were bred to work together, or there was something more to this story.

His thoughts were interrupted when the boy reached out and turned the page to another ear-marked section. The illustration of a human farmer and a wolf staring at each other as if in contemplation, the boy continuing his explanation.

"This Iz Wawkalak, iz good people tricked by fairies or blessed by forest spirits and they becomes Wolves!"

Again he took the child's simple explanation but decided to read more into it anyway, learning that these people, although they are cursed, weren't cursed in the same way Bodark were. It was always a situation where someone had angered a fae or encountered a forest spirit while lost and unlike the Bodark they are not bound to serve anyone. Wawkalak kept their human hearts and their connections to their families, often appearing as lone wolves. The Wolves he faced in the forest a few days ago were definitely not Wawkalak, but it raised still more questions. He kept them in reserve a moment as he needed to get one little fact straight first, he looked to the boy and took his glasses off and gently explained himself.

" I sorry, I not Wawkalak, I not Wolf, I am dog..supiritto."

He took care to not say the word 'demon', the boy obviously wasn't afraid of him at the moment but the book he just read made it clear that demons were definitely something to be feared in this land. For the child's sake he withheld that bit of information as he watched the boys confused look, setting his glasses down and continued to explain.

"From my home land, there are dog supirittos, dogs are not like Wawkalak. Many Differences."

The child looked to the illustration in the book then back to him as if trying to compare the two before he reached a small hand out to hook his little fingers around the cuff of his sleeve. The confused look on his face turning slowly into one of awe as he responded in a soft tone.

" Bodark kill Vaan's dog last spring, Vaan wish every night for new dogs to help van beats Bodark. Vaan wish come true, Dog find Vaan!"

He wasn't too sure if that was a compliment or not but at least now he learned the child's name and was reminded of the families plight here in the forest.

"Excuses me Vaan-kun, why is you here? Bodark in the forests everywhere, why stay here in danger?"

Vaan removed his fingers from his sleeve then and reached over to the book, flipping to the back cover where he pulled s folded tissue paper out and carefully opened it. Inside was a small 4 x 4 photo of the family from happier times. The Yeti woman, the bearded man, Vaan and his older brother and what looked like a big sheep dog beside them. Then there was a rather nice looking teenage girl with hair the same color as the Yeti woman's and a pretty smile. The boy pointed to her and said in a mute tone as the enthusiasm left him.

"Iz my sister Tanya, demon takes her two years. Her bastard fiancée trade her for evil magic and we iz trying to get her back."

He carefully took the delicate looking picture from the boys hand, the edges were torn in places and creases riddled surface of the photo. Vaan probably took this photo out often to dwell over his missing sibling. He looked to the girl in the picture as he pondered the families situation, did any of them really think they had a chance in hell to reach this young woman while she was in the grasp of a demon lord? He gazed up a moment at the little cottage the family called home, with the windows boarded shut and lined with bars and fire arms of all kinds lining the walls. What hope did they have here of finding this girl?

The story of a monster taking maiden was an ancient one of human origin, a fairy tale with a purpose of warning young girls not to stray away from their place of safety. In truth most demons and supernatural creatures had very little use for maidens, of course that didn't stop them from taking a woman they find nor did it stop humans from sacrificing their frightened daughters to them. Typically though, the fate of the maiden was a grisly one at best as demons typically did what they wanted and disposed of the girl. Unless the girl was taken for a reason, either she possessed magic of her own or, the demon fell in love. So to hear that a demon of rather high caliber took Vaans' sister raised a few suspicions of his. He felt that the story was not fully told here and he tapped his spoon on the side of his bowl as he thought about it.

"Where is her Fiancée now?"

The boy was finishing the last bite of his stew and with his spoon still in his mouth he looked over to him and mumbled around it incoherently. Only to flinch as the youkai gave him a stern look for his lack of manners and busied himself with finishing his last bite before trying to answer again.

"Momma say Deyder iz dead, momma say he killed by the demon when he look for door to hell."

The youkai tilted his head a little in thought to that, although the universal interpretation was that demons dwell in hell, that wasn't the case. Many demons were walking the mortal plain with the humans they preyed on, it was very possible that Marchosias was somewhere in the living plain as well and this Deyder fiancée knew where to find him. There was no doubt that he was long since dead and the girl used for whatever the demon had planned and disposed of as well. But where his logic shut the case, his gut seemed to disagree, perhaps it was his Daiyoukai instinct but he had one of those feelings that there was more of this little story to come.

But should he even bother with it was the real question here, he was not a Daiyoukai anymore and thus held no substantial power to do much about this. He'd come to Russia in search of that Inu youkai ...and that was where things began to click in his mind. That whelp obviously knew the Bearded man, Vaan's Father, they seemed like friends. Both came to investigate the Bodark tracks in the forest, was it possible that the whelp was here to help the family find Tanya? Did this family have some connection to the demon world that he had yet to discover?

He handed the photo gently back to the young boy as he mulled over the fact that he still knew so little about the dog demon he met in the woods that day. He looked to the child and was about tout to ask Vaan about this 'Mr. H' when he heard the familiar loud rumble and bang of the old trucks engine. The youkai exchanged looks with the young boy briefly before both hurriedly got up from the table! The files were stuffed back into their envelope and laid back on the table, the sink was cleaned off of any evidence of the stews preparation and the youkai quickly let himself transform back into his canine form. Much to the awe of the little boy who stopped and gawked at him with wide eyed wonder. He made his way back to the cushion and curled himself back up over it, resting his chin on his fore paws and watching the door.

His ears perking a little as the boy came running over and set his unfinished bowl of stew down near him, the youkai poking his muzzle into the bowl just as the door opened. Acting the part of the normal dog he pretended to ignore the Yeti woman and the bearded man as they came inside the little home. He watched though as the woman looked around the kitchen curiously after spotting the stew pot and speaking to Vaan about it. The boy responding back excitedly in Russian, leaving the youkai to hope he was smart enough to keep his little discovery a secret.

Then the Vet shuffled his way in.

He cringed a little as the sight of that greasy looking old man with the thick glasses, then realized that his hind leg was out of the brace. He looked to the floor where the brace sat in tatters after he chewed it off and made an exasperated snuffling sound. He finished the last bite of his stew and moved back to the cushion where he eyed the shuffling vet cautiously. The old man stiffly got down to a knee a reached a hand out to lightly pet the thick fur along the youkais' neck before reaching for that hind leg. He'd not touch it without a fight, the youkai curled his fluffy tail down over his back legs protectivly. When the vet tried to move his tail out of the way that fluffy thing would 'wag' and smack the vet in the face. While the vet cursed and pawed at his face frantically to catch his unseated glasses, the dog stretched out a fore leg and 'accidentally' pushed the vet over with his over sized paw.

The bearded man rushed over as the vet rolled onto his back from his kneeling position and flailed about some. Catching the vets hand the bearded man pulled his elderly friend back up to his feet. Meanwhile, the youkai got up from his cushion and walked over to Vaan's side, hoping to prove to both the vet and the family that he was alright and didn't need another physical exam. Vaan smiled and reached a hand out to lightly pet the dogs muscular shoulder as the vet straightened his glasses and looked over to the large white dog.

The youkai sat down on his haunches and curled his tail around his paws, craning his neck a little and taking on a regal pose as he returned the vet's gaze. The vet fussed with his glasses one last time before reaching down and picking up his case. He smiled to the family and said something in Russian that sounded like a farewell before he started to the door. The bearded man walking along side the elderly man while showing him out, leaving the youkai alone with Vaan and the Yeti woman who was looking over them both suspiciously as she pointed to the stew pot. The little boy gazed over to the white dog at his side, but the only thing he would get was his canine smile. He was on his own to explain this.

He was quite happy to be let outside later in the afternoon, he had been laying on that cushion for far too long. His wounds were mended and he just needed to put that leg through it's paces so it would work normally again. Outside he got that opportunity as Vaan and his older brother lead him out onto the days fresh powder. The boys sliding along the snow with an old wooden sled while the youkai trotted along side and watched with amusement. His gaze wandering off to the woods as he contemplated taking this opportunity to hunt, the stew had been his first meal in days but it certainly didn't fill him. If he could catch a few rabbits or even bring down a deer he'd be alright for a while, it was while he was sniffing the wind for prey though that he instead caught a familiar scent wafting towards the house. Wolf...and the scent was very strong, meaning one was very close by to them, instinctively he turned and started to race for the two sledding kids. Immediately spotting the wolf as it came out from behind the family pick up truck and dove for the two children.

The boys were scrambling away screaming as the white furry body collided head on with the dark brindle colored wolf with a beastly sounding snarl. His teeth sunk into the neck of the Bodark as both canines reared up, the wolves fore legs wrapping around the youkais neck while it's attacking jaws snapped viciously, looking for any dog flesh the wolf could sink it's teeth in to. But the youkai's bite was iron clad and his own fore paws possessed a set of wickedly sharp claws that ripped through the wolves thick hide and dug into it's flesh easily.

With no escape for the Bodark, both canines became locked in a shoving match while the kids rushed into the house under the watch of their two parents who already had their rifles aimed and ready. The youkai though kept the boys in the corner of his eye, waiting until he witnessed the boys enter the house he ended the scuffle by kicking with his hind legs and shoving the wolf hard into the side of the truck, pushing the vehicle a good six feet in the snow with the impact. The Bodark giving as snarl as it lost it's balance and thrashed as the dog used this chance to maul the Bodarks throat, tearing large jaw full of flesh out of the wolves neck. He backed off of wolf as he spat out the mouth full of gore from his blood covered jaws and kept his eyes on the wolf. Watching the beast yelp in and writhe in pain while bleeding profusely out from the neck wound.

He was beginning to circle back around the injured wolf to finish him off when he heard the sound of wood being smashed followed by Vaan's screams. Yelling erupted from the house a second later only to be over taken by the sound of rifle shots, he turned at the sound and caught sight of a large wolf leaning through the freshly broken window. Suffering the rifle shots like they were mosquito bites before pulling back from the window, Vaans little form hanging limp in it's jaws. This wolf was the biggest he'd encountered yet, half the size of a pickup truck and easily a good two feet taller at the shoulder than he was. The wolf stood there a moment with it's motionless victim and glared directly at him in a silent challenge, a look the youkai quickly flashed right back.

It was now that the dog had the chance to inspect his challenger, with a muscular body that was more sleek than the others, covered in a coat of silver and black fur with a set of yellow eyes that looked blood shot. The way that it poised itself and the air that surrounded it while other wolves lurked nearby in the forest told the youkai that he was looking at the pack's alpha male. The large wolf dropped the child's body onto the snow and casually stepped over him, leaving it for the other wolves lurking nearby to loom over.

He understood that moment that the alpha was not here for the family, the alpha was here for him and they would use Vaan as a hostage to ensure he did not escape. No doubt the alpha was here to avenge his fallen pack members who died in a snowy clearing a few miles away. The youkai flattened his ears back and also started for the alpha, his tail slowly swaying side to side as he sized the wolf up and felt himself being sized up. Odd to say, but he really was the underdog here, as he'd never been in a canine fight where his opponent was larger than him. Most Dog demons were weaker in their true forms, not physically but logistically as a full dog demons power was mostly used up for their size and flight. Thus as a Daiyoukai he rarely took his full form into battle unless he needed the size advantage. This battle would serve to be an interesting test of his rusty skills in four legged combat.

The two circled each other as their growls rumbled ominously, the alpha giving a roar at the dog then, testing the white creature out. Only to be met as the youkai in turn gave a monstrous sounding roar in return, proving he was not about to back down. He was mad, but worried as his golden eyes darted often to the motionless body of the child in the snow near the alphas remaining pack. The scent of human blood was in the air and he feared the rest of the wolves would give into it while the alpha was busy. He needed to deal with this quickly but with the rest of the family watching from the door he could not transform into his stronger human form. The whole situation left him at a disadvantage but he'd not let the alpha know that as he made the first move, charging towards the alpha.

The powdery snow coating everything was slick and the youkai was doing alright at dealing with the lack of traction but it was obvious that the alpha who was born and raised in this snow covered land was far better adept at fighting in the slick snow than he was. As he came in for the alpha he witness the large wolf easily whirling around to evade his incoming charge only to come at the white dog from the side. He dug his hind paws into the snow but he couldn't slow down in time as the alpha came down on him, slamming his smaller canine body to the frozen ground with enough force to raise a cloud of snow and pinned him there with a paw to his chest.

With the dog already down the alpha saw his chance and closed in on the white dog's neck with his maw wide open, but the pinned canine quickly proved that he lacked in size, he more than made up for with his brutal fangs and sharp claws. His claws sunk into the neck of the wolf while his jaws clamped down over the alpha's muzzle. Delivering both insult and injury as his bite began to crush the delicate bones of the wolf's snout. The alpha gave a roar and reared back on his haunches, shaking his head back and forth violently, forcing the youkai to release him but not without leaving wounds over the beast's face and neck.

Using the momentum from being tossed he rolled mid flight and landed on all fours, sliding back a couple of feet before he regained his footing and took off again for the alpha. The wolf was still somewhat distracted, licking the blood that trickled down it's muzzle, it spotted the youkai a second took late as the white dog leapt up onto the wolves back like a lion onto a wilder beast. His wicked claws sunk into the thick hide of the wolf's shoulder and side as his jaws clamped down on the alpha's neck. The problem though was the fact the wolf had a bigger neck than his jaws could fit around. Unless he managed to reach the wolf's throat he may as well be chewing on raw hide.

The alpha gave a vicious sounding snarl as he bucked up, his hind paw finding the white dog's gut and giving him a brutal kick that pushed his opponent back, followed quickly by several more. His soft underbelly was unprotected and he knew each painful kick was probably bruising, if not rupturing organs, yet despite the horrid pain the white dog was stubbornly clinging to the alpha. The furious wolf seeing that the dog would not give up managed to get back to his feet and take off on a head long charge towards a tree, intent on scraping the dog off of him on the floras trunk! Only the youkai who was already barely hanging on after the wolf's punishing kicks saw the incoming tree and let go of his prey, unable to do much more than cause a few flesh wounds on the large alpha.

The wolf felt the weight on his side suddenly lessen as the dog leapt off, leaving the alpha to desperately maneuver at the last moment to hair pin around the tree trunk instead of bashing into it. His paws digging into the slow as he skid to a stop with his head held low and his fangs bared in a vicious snarl. Before him the dog was rising back to his feet and returning his fearsome look as they both began to approach one another once again. Both canines began to circle one another, each looking for an opening to attack the other.

For the youkai this was a fight that was dragging itself out far too much, as he slowly tread through the snow, his tail wagging back and forth as he found himself becoming anxious. His gaze darted to Vaan who still lay in the snow motionless, without anyone able to get near him who knew if he was unconscious or dying. He wasn't able to dwell on it much longer as he saw the huge dark shape of the alpha move from the corner of his eye and growled as he also whipped around and dove. His body twisting mid flight to just barely miss the alpha's jaws by an inch before he gave chase to the still barreling alpha male.

Unlike other canines he tended to lead his attacks with his fore paws and not his snout, as he closed in on the alpha he lashed out both wickedly clawed paws to rake down the alpha's hind legs. Shredding through skin, flesh and most importantly, ham strings. The wolf giving a yowl of agony as it dug its paws into the snow to slow it's momentum and spun itself around. The wolf's body colliding with the dog's who couldn't stop as quickly as its jaws snapped for the white dog, firmly capturing his fore leg with a loud crunching sound as bone gave into the powerful bite.

For such a massive creature fighting on slippery ground, it could move with lightening speed and despite seeing his opponent turning on him he still reacted a second too late. Now it was his turn to snarl in pain as the wolf's fangs shredded through his white coat and flesh, scraping the bone painfully as he desperately moved with the wolf in an effort to prevent himself from losing the limb entirely. He sensed the alphas body tensing up and knowing what was coming he immediately wrapped his free limb around the beasts neck, his claws hooking into the wolf's tough hide.

Bracing himself as the wolf suddenly sunk back on his mangled haunches and violently thrashed his head back and forth. Mercilessly whipping the youkai's body down onto the ground over and over again with enough to force to knock the breath out of him with every impact. With his leg caught as it was all he could do to hang onto the wolf as the limb was being pulled more and more out of it's socket with each thrashing. Finally after the fourth or fifth slam the wolf seemed to slow down and the youkai took his chance to strike back. Pulling himself up more with his good limb he managed to once again fit his jaws around the wolves head. Biting down as hard as he could while his hind legs came up to kick back at him. His back claws were not as sharp as the front but they still managed to tear wounds into the alpha's neck and chest.

With the alpha's flesh being torn to ribbons and its skull cracking the wolf reluctantly let go of the dog once more with a final, powerful throw. Launching the youkai back down onto the blood splattered snow where he rolled back to his paws and slid to a stop. Both took a moment to inspect their wounds, his fore leg could barely hold weight and he suspected the joint was popped out of it's socket by now. Meaning he was not handicapped in this fight, but he had one more leg working than the alpha did. The wolf hobbled but with it's hind legs hamstrung as they were he was he couldn't easily move.

Once more both glared at each other, their heads bowed and fangs bared as their growls rumbled and unbeknownst to both hid the sound of activity behind them. The fact that the next exchange would decide the victor of this battle was more important than what was happening in the back ground. The youkai limped his way towards his opponent then as he targeted the wolf's already bleeding neck. When the wolf used it's still quite powerful forelegs to launch right for him without any warning, he found himself having to leap up in an effort to escape it. Only the wolf managed to get a hold of a hind leg in his jaws, leaving the youkai to fall on top of the alpha's back.

His jaws snapped onto the soft flesh of the wolf's lower back while his claws sunk into the sides of the wolves belly sending the alphas body twisting and worming to free itself. The two fury bodies began to roll in the snow as the canines struggled to land the finishing bite on each other. Each kicking and snarling until the wolf used it's brute strength to rip the youkai off him and once more whip the smaller canine into the snowy ground once again. The dog becoming dazed after his skull hit the frozen ground, his bloody paws in the air as he spat out the mangled flesh and a few broken teeth from being torn so violently from his prey.

As he gathered his wits the youkai attempted to roll back up to his feet, only to have his head smashed back to the ground by the alpha's paw hard enough to feel something pop. The wolf's body was right over him, he could feel the beast's weight as the other paw came down over his chest. Leaving his neck unprotected for a killing bite, his curled his body up as best he could and gave his hardest kick to the wolf. His hind paws connecting with his opponents belly, his claws sinking in and tearing at the soft flesh. His fore paws grabbed the always head as it moved for that bite only to roar as the dog managed to repeatedly kick him until a sudden deluge of gore splashed over his lower body. Staining what was left of his white fur a dark crimson color, the wolf above him made a whining sound as his weight shifted enough to let the dog shove him off.

The alpha's body crashed into the snow as he rolled away, quickly rising back to his feet to brace himself until he caught sight of the alpha. The wolf's gut was ripped open and all the beast's shredded innards were laying on the crimson soaked snow as blood poured out. He watched the wolf's face as it made gasping motions, the air entering its abdomen no doubt causing the alpha's lungs to collapse. He looked over to the other wolves lurking nearby as they began to snarl and howl at the loss of their alpha. For the moment, seeming to overlook Vaans form that still lay in the snow.

This was his only chance to reach Vaan and he limped his way towards the boy as he growled in return to the remaining pack. Through out all the noise that was raised not one of the pack dared come near the dog, it left him wondering but thankful none the less as he came to the childs side and pushed his bloody muzzle against the little body. A little groan brought with it a sense of relief for him, Vaan was still alive though in dire need of his parents. Another groan sounded behind him then and with his attention caught he gazed back to the source.

Where he had left the alpha to wallow in a pool of his own gore was not the hulk of a massive wolf, but the small, mangled and naked body of a greasy looking old man. The old mans mouth still gasping for air like a fish out of water while his wide eyes stared at him unblinking, eyes that looked so different an hour ago when this man was trying to examine him not but an hour or two before. Familiar eyes…familiar face, the youkai needed a moment to let the discovery sink in, but when it did it threw everything he thought he knew about werewolves and demons for a loop.

The alpha of this Bodark pack was the Veterinarian.

…to be continued.


	12. Secrets

Chapter 12 - Secrets.

The Veterinarian was the alpha Bodark.

He couldn't pull his eyes away from the frail looking old man wallowing in a pool of gore. The same man who tended his wounds inflicted by his pack members, the same man who seemed so annoying yet harmless. This man hid his true nature so well a demon could not detect it and the thought that he had such a dangerous enemy come so close to him before made the youkai shudder a little.

How lucky he was to have survived this long, when the alpha had to have known what he was and what he had done? His golden eyes closed a moment as he drew a calming breath.

No, it was not luck, the Alpha did not attack him because he didn't know he was dealing with the murderer of his pack. Maybe it was the eerie discovery, or maybe it all the time spent in his canine form that made him simple-minded for a moment, but in the surprise of the situation he immediately doubted his own power to conceal himself and forgot the fact that the bearded man had hosed him down of the wolves blood before bringing him inside. Unwittingly sparing him from another battle in the kitchen, or worse, a full attack later that same night. He realized then that perhaps he owed that annoying little Russian man an apology, he began to wonder how he could accomplish this in his dog form when the sounds of rifle fire pierced both his thoughts and the air around him.

Utter chaos erupted as the shouts of men rose through the frigid afternoon air, answered by the angry roar of wolves coming from the forest surrounding the rickety little shack. He knew that instant that he was right in the center of a battle field and as gunfire once more erupted he ducked down a little and quickly moved to grab the back of Vaan's coat in his jaws. He had to get the child out of the center of what was about to become an all out war between human and wolf.

Sadly he never managed to grab the boy, for as soon as he opened his mouth to nip at the back of the child's clothing something struck him in the side of the face so hard it violently whipped his head to the side and caused him to rock back on his haunches. Instantly his vision was impaired as one eye went blind while the other blinked back at the sting of blood dribbling into it. More hot blood coated his cheek and ran into the corner of his maw as he tried to get his bearings, only to feel more hit him just as hard in his chest and down his side. The force carrying him clear off his feet and onto the snow with a heavy thud. His thoughts were clouded in pain as panic began to take hold, it took him a second to realize that he was shot and another second for his flight instinct to take over.

In a flurry of blood and snow he managed to get to his feet and take off running, in his crimson clouded vision he raced past the transforming dead bodies of wolves and bullet hole ridden trees. Escape was all his mind could process and the adrenalin was forcing him to move despite wounds and broken bones as he retreated deeper into the forest. Not fully aware of exactly where he was going and only focusing on the sounds of gunfire fading behind him as he fled.

For this old inuyoukai It was rare to have instinct kick in like this, the drive to escape so strong that it was almost alien to him, needless to say he was not the kind of demon to run from a fight. But pain and confusion spurred a rush of adrenalin of the likes that he'd not experienced since he was a whelp himself. He thought the situation was under control, but just like the discovery of the alphas true identity, nothing else proved to be what it seemed as the humans opened fire on him. Now he was racing through the forest leaving the sounds of gunfire behind him but not the wolves. He could hear them racing through the snow after him, could hear the sounds of their heavy paws and panting breath, he was being hunted down no doubt to take advantage of his wounds.

As he raced through the forest the grip of that flight instinct began to relax and rational thinking became possible once again. He quickly realized that he was no longer in the sight of the humans and that now he could face these werewolves properly. He also realized that he felt a familiar presence hanging in the air, yet in the heat of this impending second battle he could not identify it. Instead he took the risk and headed for it, the youkai bursting out into a small clearing where the shores of a beautiful if frozen lake was found and where the energy felt the most concentrated. He dug his hind legs into the snow and reared up, a shimmer of blue light enveloping him as he transformed back into his human form and instantly paid the price for it.

The act of transforming stressed fractures and tore wounds wider, he was sporting a damaged arm and numerous bullet holes. Then there was the head wound that nearly caused him to black out as he emerged from the glowing cloud of youki. His one good eye shimmering crimson as he swooned on his feet, the pain running through his skull causing his senses to fade in and out for a moment. This may have been a grave mistake, now he was even more vulnerable than before as he struggled to remain conscious. He could hear the wolves closing in and looked up in time to see the first of the beasts entering the clearing. It's fur practically standing on end in fury, it's ugly maw hung agape as it panted for breath after that break neck run. The beast was quickly joined by two others - at least he thought it was two, with the way his head was spinning he could not be sure, that began to close the distance with him.

He raised his clawed hand out to his side as his youki began to gather in a barely noticeable shimmer around his finger tips. His crimson eye narrowing on the werewolves that began to circle around him, a deep growl rumbling from in his chest as he focused his power to the tips of his claws readying them for the attack, only to feel his power ebb away. He froze as he felt his power as a whole refuse to respond to him, meanwhile the energy hanging in the air around him intensified suddenly. It was then that he began to relate the two, whatever this energy was in the air it was unraveling his attacks spell. The demonic power was still there, but it no longer did anything he wanted it to do.

He was not the only one who was effected by the sudden charge in the air, the werewolves had lost interest in the attack and were panicking and snarling in agony. He watched on in fascination as one after the other the werewolves began to lose their transformations. Each ones bulk shrank down, shed it's fur and lost it's canine attributes, leaving behind the bodies of three naked men. Each looking at him in sheer panic as the youkai took the opportunity to bare his fangs, narrow that glowing crimson eye and flash the men the most vicious look he could muster as a menacing growl rumbled clearly from him.

That was all he really needed to do as the men turned and started to race away from the shore line and back for the safety of the woods. Leaving him alone with whatever was the source of this power hanging in the air around him. He gripped at the dislocated shoulder of his mangled arm as he gazed around the now silent shoreline, waiting for whatever was there to come out. But as the minutes ticked by he began to wonder if this was truly the work of someone nearby or a spell left on a tree or hidden in the snow that was triggered by the presence of the werewolves.

Or perhaps the owner of this energy was around but was too fear full to approach, after all he was an injured demon and was probably perceived as dangerous and unpredictable. While he was in Tibet he learned that he looked less intimidating when he was lower to the ground. With that thought in mind he sank himself down to sit in the snow, trying to look as non-threatening as possible as he gazed down to the frozen white that was speckled in dots of crimson, courtesy of his weeping wounds. Wounds that hurt horribly now that his adrenalin rush was over and the aches of his injuries were beginning to surface.

Carefully he reached up to the wound on his face and touched the raw edges, flinching a little as he tried to visualize the damage. He was lucky, the bullet had clipped his skull and blew apart the eye socket, but it could have been worse, considering the shooter was no doubt aiming to place that bullet through the center of his head. The eye would restore itself in time but unless he cleaned and dressed the wound soon he could be disfigured for a long time while he waited for it to heal.

" I wouldn't touch that, it looks bad from here."

He calmly let his good eye travel to the source of the voice, not surprised that it was so close though he was a bit surprised that it was spoken in his native tongue. At the edge of the forest stood the whelp, his form clad in a heavy winter outfit that included a heavy coat, a thick scarf and a knit hat that was pulled in such a way that all he could see was his golden eyes peering at him. The youkai flashed the whelp a little smile then as he commented in a soft tone. "It looks worse than it is." The amusement he had at finding the whelp again was lost when he caught sight of a long object clutched in his gloved hand, a hunting rifle.

"You approach me armed, do you still feel threatened?"

Silence was all that answered him as the two dog demons exchanged unwavering looks, he began to wonder why the whelp chose to use a humans rifle as his weapon? Did he really think it was enough to stop someone like him? Well, any other day it would take more than a single rifle to stop him, but right now in his present condition it was probably more than enough. The old youkai drew in a slow breath and began to shift, intent on rising back to his feet and make some effort to defend himself. The whelp blinked as he snapped out of his staring gaze and backed up a step, his golden eyes narrowing as his form sunk into a position that indicated that he was ready to run.

A frown came over his face as he watched the whelps posture change and he flashed the younger demon an annoyed look, this whelp was still as flighty as when they first met, he presented himself with a weapon in hand and yet did not have the intention to fight. He just could not read this boy and that fact was beginning to annoy him greatly.

"Whelp, please make up your mind, you come to me yet you fear me. I am confused as to what to do about you, as you are not what you seem."

He slowly sank back down onto the snow and gave a little sigh, watching the whelp also begin to relax his stance at the same time. The younger dog demon taking a moment to answer him in an uncertain sounding voice.

"You are also not what you seem, your soul is ancient but the strength of your demonic aura does not match it. I can say that you too confuse me and I don't know what to do about you."

His annoyance evaporated instantly at that moment, replaced a little tinge of fear, this pup could detect his soul in some way. He felt violated in a way and began to fear for his little secrets. If this pup could sense that his soul was ancient then he could also see that he was not quite a normal dog demon. It was something that left him unsettled and perhaps a little nervous as he looked to the whelp then and answered in a soothing tone.

" I know I am an enigma to you, but understand that I intend you no harm and as you can see I am no threat."

He proved that last part of his sentence by raising his hand and attempting to draw his youki to his palm. Only to look on as the power failed to respond to him again, it was if it was ...calm, stable, perhaps even nulled. He looked back to the whelp then and watched him for a moment but he still did not dare approach, instead he studied the old youkai sitting in the snow silently. He began to grow irritated again by this pup who seemed to be more interested in standing around than talking and gazed off to the woods.

His injuries hurt and he knew he needed to attend to them very soon, he did not have the luxury of time to sit there and wait for an explanation from the whelp. He would not stay here then if the whelp had no intention of believing him or speaking to him. He started to rise once more to his feet, this time keeping his eyes averted from the whelp. Not caring if he scared him off right now, it was far better than freezing his rear on the cold ground.

" I understand now...you're an Inugami, that flesh you wear was once mortal wasn't it?"

His breath caught as he froze mid step, his one eye gazing forward as his felt his heart slowly sink at the whelps words. Was this body he inhabited now once mortal? Yes, some poor soul was sacrificed to bring him back into the living world, to this day he knew not the name or story behind the victim he unknowingly took that fateful night. He slowly turned to regard the whelp who was still standing there gripping the rifle with both hands, no doubt realizing now that he touched upon something dangerous.

"How perceptive of you, but I must ask you to stop what ever it is you are doing to uncover this information, whatever questions you have of my existence you are better off not knowing the answers to. The knowledge may cost your life whelp, please heed my warning."

The younger demon only stared at him at first, clutching that rifle in his hands as he took his time and studied the old youkai. After a few long minutes of exchanging looks he started to relax and let that rifle drop, showing a little courage for the first time. Courage that was perhaps fueled by the information that he had just uncovered.

"Who are you?"

A little smile spread over his blood splattered face again as he started to relax as well, his hand coming up to grip his shoulder as he started to work the bone back into the socket. Answering the whelps question offhandedly.

" I believe my name goes with my warning whelp, though if it makes you feel better there is no importance behind it. It has been a very long time since I held a title or any prestige and thus my name has lost all it's meaning, as I stand before you now all I am is as you have said...an old soul."

"Every name is important, even and if you don't hold a title or power of any kind your name still has meaning. Nothing can change that no matter what you are in life or what happens to you."

The whelp responded back in a tone so bitter it made his dark brow arch a little in curiosity, perhaps it was his turn now to touch upon something dangerous? It was obviously a matter this young demon took personally. His shoulder moved back into the socket with a loud pop, the youkai making a little face to it before he relaxed and exhaled. The whelp also flinching a little to the sound before he commented.

"Fine then, I'll call you a 'Furui' until you give me your real name." The whelp looked over the old dog then and lifted a hand to motion him to follow. " Look, you're not going to survive out here in the woods with those injuries. This forest is crawling with the 'Bodark' werewolves that will search every inch of the wood for you. Come back with me, I can offer you a place to stay."

He wasn't sure if he liked being referred to as 'ancient' all the time, it reminded him of his age which, as silly as it sounds, he tried to not think about. He was not sure how long a dog demon could live, but he was sure that demons were not immortal creatures and one day would die of old age. He experimentally moved his shoulder and arm as the whelp offered him a place to stay. He thought about it a moment, he could use the chance to rest someplace where he could remain in human form though one thing nagged at him. The last he saw of Vaan the child was motionless in the snow, he did not even have the chance to see if he still breathed. The thought that he fled the scene without the boy did not sit well with him, despite knowing he'd have been killed if he had stayed there any longer.

"That child I left behind, I need to find out if he is alright or not. I may not have such a luxury of rest until I am sure."

Now it was the whelps turn to arch a brow at the Furui in front of him, a gloved hand coming up to scratch a little under his hat. "You know that family called for reinforcements from the town, those men are the ones who shot you. They tried to kill you because you were standing next to a child, but you're still worried about that boy you were gunned down over?"

This argument sounded familiar, he remembered answering to something like this many times in his life. The question of why he trusted humans even when he knew they did not trust him, he was not a demon that would claim to understand humans completely. Anyone who did would be labeled a fool, instead he tended to look at humans the same way one searched for gemstones. Somewhere in the dirt and coal, if you dug around enough, you could find a brilliant jewel and if you were really lucky, a diamond. Humans had short lives and were plagued by misery and pain, for that he could see the reasoning behind what they do. He flashed the whelp a warm little smile then as he answered.

"This is not the first time humans have betrayed me and until I learn my lesson it wont be the last. It's very possible that Vaan's family wanted me shot along with the Bodark, but I am still concerned for the child." He responded calmly enough even though he knew it sounded suicidal, he tilted his head a little though when he noticed the look in the whelps eyes.

"I'll call Mr. Kaerkvich then and ask how his son is doing for you, now are you going to come with me or try your luck in the forest Furui?"

Now he had the last name of that little family, Kaerkvich, slowly he was getting to know that insane family more and in the same moment he was reminded that this whelp knew the bearded man. He smirked some to the younger dog demon as he started towards him and teased a little." Ah that is right, you are acquainted with them. I dare say I forgot about that, have you known them a long time Mr. H?"

"To you Furui I think I can tell you that my name is Hitorii and yeah, I know them. But I can't talk about it much out here, lets get back to the house and talk. Just don't kill my car this time."

"Hitorii is it? Well then Hitorii it is nice to meet you finally... wait a moment, your blaming me for your car accident?" He was so content that he finally had the whelp's name that he was caught a little off guard by that as he followed Hitorii through the snow. The charge in the air fading as they walked away from the shore line. The youkai thinking back to that first encounter when he tried to stop the whelp by jumping on top of his jeep.

"Your demonic aura did something to my engine, I could feel it when you let your youki seep through the car and suddenly the engine blew." Hitorii looked back to the ancient walking beside him and was taken back a little at his clueless expression. The old youkai had no idea how his power could do that to a mechanical device, but then again he'd never flared it near automobiles before. This was the first time he had heard of this effect and pondered over the possibilities as they emerged from the forest and onto a snowy road.

" My apologies about the vehicle, I was not aware my demonic power had such a curious side effect." He stated sincerely as the two dog demons made their way to a dark blue jeep parked on the side of the road. Hitorii flashing him a curious look but for now kept his questions to himself as he unlocked the doors and helped the older youkai in first. The old youkai settled on the vehicles back seat and took a moment to peer around curiously. This was perhaps the first time he had been in a car of any kind before and his first impression was that the thing was just as smelly on the inside as it was on the outside. His nose wrinkling a little as he leaned back and positioned his bad arm over his lap. Only to have a clawed hand take a hold of it again, he looked over in mild shock as Hitorii perched on the other end of the back seat with a medical kit opened up between them.

"Your still bleeding badly, Furui, and the trip back is kinda long, it'll be better to wrap these now and..." Hitorii stopped then as he stared at the old demon, caught off guard by sight of his hair deepening to a raven color and his golden eye shifting to a deep blue. The old youkai blinked a moment at the whelps look of awe and reached up to pluck at the crystal around his neck. Watching as the blue color returning to the charm as Hitorii finally managed to comment.

"So that's how you do it, I was wondering how you could hide among the Kaerkvich's for so long, Mr. Kaerkvich was seriously convinced you were just some really big elk hound."

He slowly turned the little blue crystal between his fingers a moment before letting it drop. " Whatever is you cast back there, it was strong enough to inhibit my charm as well. Can you tell me what was that power?"

Hitorii looked a little nervous as he continued to apply a thick gauze around the ancients wounded arm, keeping his eyes low as he seemed reluctant to answer. The old youkai reached into the kit and plucked a few gauze pieces to stuff into his bullet wounds as he continued. " I know of two other demons who possess that mark and I have never seen a power like that associated with either one." Now he could feel the whelp twitch beside him as he fastened the bandage in place.

"I'm not sure what mark your talking about, or what demons your talking about but that power is my own. I've never seen anyone else with it before so I can't tell you where it came from-erk!"

Hitorii's eyes grew wide as the old demon leaned over and poked a finger against his hat covered fore head. A half lidded and knowing look on his bloodied face as he gave him another poke in the head, stating in a low, matter-of-fact tone. "Do not lie to me pup, when we last met I saw a blue mark right here, partially hidden within your fur." He watched the whelp squirm a little under his demanding gaze but after a few moments he steeled himself and met the older demons eye.

"How about you tell me your story first before I tell you mine?" It was a bold challenge but it was a justifiable one, the old youkai held that demanding stare for a few minutes longer, seeing if this boy would crack. But in the end he saw a stubbornness in him that would not let him lose and he dropped his gaze first as he drew a sigh.

"Well met whelp."

Hitorii let go of the breath he was holding, giving a sigh of relief before he reached up and layer gauze on the old demons head wound. "I think you should try to get some sleep while I drive, these wounds all look bad." The whelp mentioned, forgetting all about the tense moment as if it never happened and refocused on dressing his wounds. When he was finally done he shut the kit and left it on the floor of the car before pulling a blanket from the back of the jeep to wrap around him.

He took the blanket and realized then how cold he actually was, in all his fighting and running around the Russian chill had worked it's way into his bones. Heeding the whelps advice he bundled himself up and closed his one good eye. Hitorii shutting the door beside him, leaving him to his thoughts. He began to realize how foolish he was being, here he was prodding this whelp for his linage when in truth he should not even be associating with him, he should know better.

It was far too late for him to return to his family, even if there was only one left, his entire existence had been remolded into something far different, something far more dangerous. Then the real fear set in, a fear so cold not even the warmth of a hundred blankets could take the chill away, if his master would to learn he had found his family once more. They would be killed, if not by his hand then another hunter would be sent to do the job. How foolish was he to forget his place, he had only a small window of time where he could control his life and he let that get to his head. The reality would eventually surface in all it's terrible truth.

This was a mistake.

With the regret of agreeing to go with the whelp hanging over his head he opened his one good eye and gazed out the window of the jeep as Hitorii climbed into the drivers side of the jeep and turned over the engine. He contemplated just opening the door and leaving, he gazed to the forest then and made his decision, voicing his concern before the jeep could move.

"Wait, I think I will take my leave, I realize now there is ...something very important for me to attend to." He needed a second to come up with an excuse about leaving and looked back in time to see Hitorii's confused look.

"Your in no shape to do anything Furui, if you have to go do something, tell me were and I will drive you over-"

"No it is not wise for you to follow me." He interrupted with a little growl as he reached out to grab the door handle.

" It's not wise to go out into the woods during a Russian winter with wounds while Bodark are lurking around. Old one, what ever it is you need to do it better wait until your wounds are healed at least."

" This is not up to debate Hitorii, I apologize but I should have not gone this route with you, we should have parted ways at the lake shore."

" I would have not let you leave my sight anyway, I'm honor bound to help someone who is injured no matter how much they don't want it. What are you suddenly afraid of? "

He grit his teeth and opened the door then, pulling off the blanket as he climbed out of the jeep and sloshed into the frigid snow. He heard the other door of the jeep open as well as the whelp came running around with that rifle in hand. His one good eye gazing back in time to see the younger demon aiming his weapon at him. A low growl rumbling in his chest then as he turned to face the whelp and give a warning. " Do not force me to fight boy, I only wish to be on my way."

" I am not letting you leave here Inugami, I don't know what you suddenly saw but just forget about it and listen to me. Get back in the car or I will shoot."

The old youkai suddenly took on a sinister little smile as he regarded the whelp who asserted himself for the first time since he'd seen him. Holding out a clawed hand then he cracked his fingers in warning as he calmly advised the whelp. "Then shoot and hope your marksmanship holds true, for if you cannot take me down with one bullet I will kill you instead." He made good on his warning as he started to approach the whelp, youki gathering at the tip of his claws.

"I don't have any bullets actually."

"What?" He stopped mid step and looked at the whelp oddly, what in the seven hells could he have in the rifle then if he didn't have... **-BAM!**- He flinched back feeling something hit him in the chest and a clawed hand came up to cover the wound. Only he didn't find one, instead he looked down and saw a small tube sticking out of him, the end adorn with a bright red puffy marker. He staggered a moment as he tried to place what the object was just as darkness swamped his vision.

" Wha..t is...this ...a …a" …*thud!*

End Chapter 12.


	13. Strange Fates

Chapter 13 - Strange Fates.

" _You are dead to them all, nothing more than a ghost that will not linger long in their memory. They will forget about you and thus, you must forget about them." _

_Those words echoed in his head once more, piercing his thoughts, shredding his memories to ribbons. He lay in complete darkness, wide awake and aware of everything around him yet unable to move. His body was paralyzed and cold as it lay on the stone table where he first regained his consciousness, covered in little more than a linen cloth. He didn't know how long he had been like this, imprisoned in a unresponsive body, left in a dark room that smelled of death and sickly sweet herbs. This must have been a crypt for he certainly felt like a corpse, forgotten and left with only his own thoughts for company. _

_If only he could have found peace in his thoughts, try as he might he found no comfort in his memories. Any fond memory carried with it the guilt and shame of his situation, of his failure and the misery he knew he left behind for those he cared for. Then when he felt himself sink deeper into his sadness those words would echo through his mind. At first he ignored them, every time they came he dismissed them, but as time went on he began to hear the truth in them and began to accept them. He was indeed dead to them all, to his Eldest who no doubt moved on, his youngest son who never knew him, his first wife who he was sure didn't care even while he was alive ...and then there was Izayoi. She could not have forgotten about him, she had his youngest son, the pup she would be rearing alone with out him. Once more a warm memory was skewered by the bitter truth until a soft noise shatter the silence of that tomb and brought him back from his wallow of misery. _

_A door slowly creaked open, letting bright light spill into the room and burn at his eyes that were half open. A figure cloaked in what looked like a long robe stepped into the room, the bright light behind it prevented him from seeing any detailed features. He was laying in a position where his was flat on his back, his head turned towards the door. Forcing him to watch the figure moving through his blurry vision, approaching his side where it regarded the youkai quietly for a few moments. Up close his eyes still failed him, though he did not need to see the figure clearly to know who he was for this was not the first time this creature had come to his side. _

_Through out his time here that figure came to visit him whenever he had news of the Inu no Taishou's former life. Usually he brought with him bad news yet sometimes he would arrive with good. The purpose of his visits though were to remind him of his situation, assure him this was not a dream. He felt a cold hand caress along the side of his face, brushing back his messy, silvery-white hair behind a pointed ear as his deceptively gentle words seemed to manifest in his mind._

" _The woman lays on her death bed this evening, her time draws near." _

_His heart skipped a beat, his mind filling with frantic thoughts and sheer panic, he knew what woman the figure was speaking of and despair came down hard over him. He was helpless to do anything, he could not even speak as he was at the moment. All he could do was form the words in his head, unsure if this creature could even hear them. _

'_Why! What happened to her! Damn you! You decrepit fiend! Tell me what happened to Izayoi! What about the pup? Where is he while this is happening!' _

_He wished he could move and began to will his body to obey him, struggling in vain to make this flesh that he knew was not his own respond. In the end not so much as a finger would move, he could not even close his eyes. He was at the mercy of this creature beside him and the sorrow of being unable to reach his beloved clenched at his heart. That cold, gnarled hand gently tilted his head up and quietly studied his face. Eyes were the windows of the soul and the figure could see the youkais soul in turmoil within those dulled golden pools. _

" _I will grant your woman her dying wish, to feel you once more." _

_He felt the sheet that was laid over him pulled down before a cold hand pressed to his bare chest and over his heart. Warmth welled up just under those cold fingers, a sensation that felt strange at first , almost foreign to his body that had been cold since he had first awakened. As this warmth became more familiar, his memory though surged at that moment, remembering this warmth from when he held his mate long ago in his arms. The warmth pulsed softly, like a heart beat that was not his own yet was in tune with his. He instantly realized that it was his beloveds, but it felt so weak and fragile, as if it would break at any moment. _

_He held his breath as his heart began to pound, could she feel him? Feel his cold, dead presence? This could not be the comfort that she was seeking, this was worse than beyond the grave, she could feel him in hell! She would die knowing he did not pass on peacefully, that he was not waiting for her in the afterlife and that he would be forced to feel her last moments of torment! She would continue in death as she had in life, without him. It was that thought that ripped through what was left of his heart as he felt her pulse slow and finally still, the warmth fading away. The youkai slowly releasing his breath as he felt the cold of death returning as the last thread that connected him to his former life... snapped. _

_The figure above him watched the you kais eyes in silence, waiting till all the color had drained from them before he drew his hand up to his face. Placing two fingers over his eyes lids before slowly closing the demons eyes. His cold hand remaining pressed over the you kais heart._

His hand came up abruptly to grab the wrist of that hand pressed to his chest, he felt the limb jerk suddenly but his grip was iron clad and would not break easily. He opened his eyes to a world bathed in white, with shapes and colors obscured by what seemed like a screen. It took him a second to realize he had something draped over his eyes as a low, menacing growl rumbled from deep in his chest. Which unfortunately aggravated all the bullet holes it was ridden with, giving a cough he reached up with his other hand and pushed up the bandage that was wrapped around his head. His one good eye focusing on his trapped assailant.

At first he did not recognize Hitorii, the whelp was out of his heavy winter wear and what he saw was a boy who looked about 17, with his white hair cut some what short, left just long enough to hide his pointed ears and layered in a style that looked like it was inspired by a j-pop singer. His human form was just like his canine, he had a slender frame with wiry muscled build, his clothing consisting of relaxed fit jeans and a t-shirt pulled over a long sleeve. From up close Hitorii may have passed as a normal looking Japanese teenager, but once you stepped back, the whelps tail was hard to miss. It started as a low ridge of soft fur between his shoulder blades and ran along his spine, the fur thickening into a swishy looking dog tail that trailed somewhat past his heels.

The look on the whelp's face though was one of mixed worry and fear, the old youkai released his wrist after a moment and began to relax a little until he spotted Hitorii's other hand holding a syringe. That growl once more began to rumble from him as his single golden eye narrowed on the whelp.

"So help me if that is more sedative I will get very angry with you and..."

"It's not sedative, it's a pain killer. Your breathing was becoming labored and your sweating heavily, I was assuming the pain was beginning to get to you as the sedative wore off."

His growls softened as he drew his hand lightly over his face, seeing that he was indeed covered in a slick of sweat. His gaze drifting down to his chest, bare of everything but bandages that were spotted in crimson. He realized then that he was in a bedroom that had been hastily turned into an ER, the night table beside him had a tray of medical tools and a plastic bio hazard bag contained the bloodied shrapnel of bullets. Beside that was a medicine case filled with small vials and pocket reference guides. He gazed up to the whelp then as he felt a soft prick of the needle finding his arm.

"I may not look it but I do have an M.D in general medicine, it's kind of dated though since I received it back in 1920. But I know enough to get those silver slugs out of your chest. " Hitorii remarked as he watched the elder demons gaze wander the room and come back to him. The whelp carefully capped the needle once he was finished and set it into the bio hazard bag. Pulling off his gloves then as he continued to comment.

"I think I got them all out and I did a little stitching over your arm but there is really nothing I can do about your eye. You're stuck waiting for your own healing to repair that, the best I can do is keep it clean and remove any necrosis as it develops."

He flashed the old dog a smile then as he cleaned up his medical supplies, leaving out a bottle and a capped syringe. " I'll give you more pain killer before you sleep tonight so the pain wont torment you."

"It was not the pain that caused me to panic in my sleep, I have vivid nightmares that plague me from time to time." He assured the whelp as he gently touched the bandages over his shredded arm before sitting himself up on the bed. He gazed once more around the room, noticing it was quite cozy and neatly decorated, beyond the window a heavy snow pelted the glass. Perhaps he was lucky that the whelp's stubbornness brought him here, otherwise he'd be facing the wrath of a Russian winter storm alone. Although that did leave him with a small question.

"Where am I?"

" A house I have on loan while I work on this werewolf project, we're about two hours hard drive from the Kaerkvich's home. By the way, Vaan is doing alright, he was banged up by the alpha but is recovering fine at the town's clinic." Hitorii informed him quick as he closed up his case, peering over as the old youkai was not about to spend all his time in bed and was kicking off the covers to get up. He took on a little smirk then and motioning to the dog harness draped on the bed post as he added.

"Vaan though has been asking about his pet dog, poor kid, for all he knows you were shot dead."

The old youkai eyed the harness with a little distaste as he reached for a robe to slip on, only to give a little sigh though when Hitorii mentioned the child's concerns for him. He wanted to return to the boy but knew his injuries made him far from presentable and no doubt the Bearded man would once again contact a veterinarian for him. The thought made him shudder a little as he stated in a soft tone.

" Perhaps the next time you contact them, assure Vaan that his dog is alive but his were-bouts are unknown. The boy believes in his heart that I am a Wakalek, that news alone should be comforting to him." He would like to see the boy again but first he needed to addend to a little business here. His deep blue eye gazed back to the whelp as his words rang with a serious tone.

"You stated you were working on this 'werewolf' project, Vaan had mentioned a missing sister taken by a fellow named Marchosias. The alpha male of that Bodark pack happened to also be the same bumbling vet that tried to treat my wounds. If you do not mind I would like to sit down and discuss this little issue?"

Hitorii's little smile faded when the old youkai mentioned the trouble so far with the Bodark, giving the youkai a nod he made his way to the bedroom door and opened it. Leading the youkai out to a hall way overlooking the main living room of the house. The old dog was first struck by the size of the place then struck again over how the living room was practically buried in books and other texts. As he walked down the stairs he took stock in everything, books lined up in large baggage crates, books stacked up against walls, even the dinning room table had been dragged in and was covered in paper work and yet more opened books. Was this how this young demon planned on fighting a demon lord?

"I take it then that you are a scholar?"

Hitorii was hopping down the stairs in an rather puppish manner and making some effort to clear a way to the table through the makeshift library, looking back to the old dog as he asked and flashing him a prideful smile as he stacked away some paperwork, his tail swishing back and forth in a happy little manner.

"I never was a good fighter, but I prefer reading, anyway, among other stuff."

"Other stuff?" He tilted his head a little to the whelp as he made his way slowly down the stairs and gazed around the living room a little. Still in awe over all the literature scattered around, did the whelp really sit down and read all this? He must be a walking encyclopedia of knowledge if that was the case. A strange voice called from the next room a moment later and caught his attention.

"He loves to sing as well, beware that he doesn't rope you into going to a Karaoke bar with him." The owner of the voice came into the room the next moment, he looked like a gentlemen in his 40's, his black hair cut short and slicked back, his skin as pale as the snow outside and his eyes, were a silver color that the youkai had seen once before. He walked into the room carrying a tray of Tea, waiting for Hitorii to finish clearing off the table before setting it down. His silver eyes roaming to the old youkai's dark blue as he smiled and introduced himself.

"My name is Sakagami, I've been an acquaintance of Hitorii's for a while."

The old youkai was taken back, he was staring at someone from his past though poor Sakagami was probably not aware of it. He tilted his head a little to the fellow then and decided to test his assumption here. " It has been a long time since I have seen those eyes, they are the mark of the Inu no Obake's curse."

He watched as the mans form tensed briefly, a tea cup clutched in a slightly shaking hand.

"How perceptive, not many people know of that legend. I Have to know though, how did you come across that knowledge after my family worked so hard to erase if from the pages of history?" He set the tea cup down without looking back at the old youkai, tilting his head so that his cropped raven hair covered part of his face.

" I know of Oshoromaru's tale, he was after all one of the most frightening inugami to ever be raised. When he became a dog demon of the underworld, or a hell hound depending on your opinion, he earned a name for himself." He watched the individual with a casual eye as he reached over and pulled out a chair for himself. He wasn't sure why he was pressing on when the fellow obviously seemed uncomfortable with it and began to think twice about it. Shaking his head a little he concluded. "Well, nonetheless I wanted to speak about this Bodark problem not dwell on old memories.."

"You knew him?"

The accusation caught him a little off guard and he sharply looked up to Sakagami who was now staring at him, or glaring at him, he could not tell too easily. The old youkai sat himself down on a chair as Hitorri followed, watching the two of them curiously.

"Yes, I clashed swords with him on many occasions, as well as sought him for help when I needed to retrieve something or someone from the Yome."

The look on Sakagami's face was one of shock that quickly began to form into amazement. The fellow pushed cups of tea to The old youkai and Hitorri as he sat down and hunted through the papers scattered on the table, finding a clean one along with a pencil as he commented in almost a feverish tone. "This is exciting, I have spent my entire life searching for information on this demon trying to find a way to break the curse. But the information had been lost, the people who knew about it died horribly before they could tell, anything written down had been destroyed."

"Are you truly sure you wish to learn of the mistakes your ancestor made that resulted in your silver eyes? This knowledge after all carries with it significant danger to you and anyone else who becomes involved with you." He gave Sakagami a little smile as he picked up his tea and sniffed lightly at the aroma. He was a little surprised that the man was unclear of his past and he was beginning to wonder if it was wise to inform him of it? He sipped lightly at his tea as he watched the fellow, Sakagami looked a little torn as he stared at the blank paper before him. The old dog could tell he was wrestling with the fear of his fate vs. the will to battle a demons curse that had been set on his family for hundreds of years

"You're an old demon according to Hitorii I am sure you have considerable wisdom and knowledge reflecting your years. I believe I am capable of taking whatever it is you tell me and I alone will bear the burden of any danger to come my way. So…yes I want to know everything you can tell me about the Ghost Dog, the Inu no Obake." The look on his face inspired the old youkai a little, he sipped at his tea before closing his good eye.

"Fine then, but you will be indebt to me for this Sakagami, though I must insist that we save this for another time. The were wolves are an immediate, pressing matter at the moment." He looked between the two men a moment, as much as he would like to sit back and talk about the Ghost Dog, he had more pressing business here and wanted to get back on topic.

Sakagami gave a soft sigh and set down his pen, looking over that blank piece of paper before him with a little distain as he commented softly to the old demon sitting at the end of the table. "You can guarantee I will not let you out of my sight ancient one , until you tell me all that you know about my family and this curse. But it is fair, I'll tell you what we have concerning the Bodark."

With that he pushed the paper aside and moved the tea tray out of the way, meanwhile Hitorii reached out to grab a note book and an text book to pull over. The old dog scooted closer to look over what seemed to be notes from the younger demons work as Hitorii started to explain.

" Okay I am going to start by giving you a rough idea of how demons function in Russia according to records kept by the humans. According to accounts, through out the territories here all the way to the Slavic regions demons are categorized by a royal hierarchy, there is a circle of kings within the world they call Hell. One king for a region of this huge land, a queen, prince, duke, marquees, so on and so forth. For this region the King is named Asmodeus and he looks like a Chimera in his true form. According to my notes he commands 50 legions of demons under him. "

The old youkai did his best not to make a face, he really did wonder where anyone managed to command that many demons in a shot? Not without considerable help but then again he was in a land much different than his own. He watched quietly as Sakagami pulled out a case to set on the table, popping it open as Hitorii continued.

"The demon we are dealing with though, Marchosias, has lowest rank of all the demons in this region. He has a werewolf's form and has a bitter history, his story goes that he was weary of hell and wanted to live in the human world despite the kings direct order that forbade any demon from crossing up here. He raised a lot of fuss about it and even snuck our a few times, Asmodeus in annoyance granted him the chance to live with the humans for fifteen hundred years. Course, there was a huge catch, he was stuck as a wolf with limited power, but that's not all, here is the twisted part."

Hitorii smiled to him then as his tail playfully swished back and forth behind him, he almost thought it looked cute. He didn't know of any other dog demon that wagged their tail when they were excited. He snapped out of it when Hotorii concluded his explanation.

"During his fifteen hundred years in the human world he must find a human woman who is willing to become his wife. Or else he will be eternally banished to the human world while being stripped of his power."

That little bit made his dark brow arch a little, so then this Marchosias demon had his own curse laid on him. But then it left a few other questions unanswered, he shook his head a little as he asked. " Forgive me, but he needs to find a woman willing to marry him as a wolf but then why are the Bodark attacking the Kaerkvichs? Didn't their only daughter become a victim of these wolves?"

Hitorii raised a hand to stop the youkai's string of questions in thier tracks as he flipped through his notes then and produced a page with a photograph taped to it, in the picture was the lovely girl he had seen back at the rickety shack, tucked into a worn book on demonology. Next to her was a young man who looked like he hadn't shaved in a month but had a wide grin and overall happy look.

" This is Tanya's fiancé, His name is Andrick Bonvus, he is the wealthy son of the owner of Bonvus' mining Co. The popular conception right now is that the Bonvus family had the land here drilled for samples and found considerable mineral deposits. They are trying to buy up the land here to mine but the town, with the encouragement of the Kaerkivichs, will not sell them the land. Do you see where I am heading with this story?"

He studied the little picture taped onto the page of the note book intently, resting his elbows on the table as he leaned his chin against his folded hands. It sounded at first like a clear enough story and an age old tactic of ensuring something, weather it was gaining land or gaining allies, be wedding off a son or daughter to the rival. He gave a little nod then as he gazed back up to Hitorii, silently coaxing him to continue.

"Alright we got the background story here, now how does a cursed Demon get involved here? Theory is that Andrick learning of Marchosias' presence in the forest decided that having a demon on his side to chase the towns folk and this small family off the land would be much easier than marrying his way in so he can use the family to change the town's mind. "

It was then that Sakagami set down a large and old looking text, the front cover was written in characters he did not even recognize as being Russian but he did not dwell on that as he mused softly.

"So then this Andrick traded Tanya to Marchosias in exchange for his werewolves aid in terrorizing the region? That girl is more than likely dead then and we have a population of werewolves running amok."

Sakagami was next to raise a hand to call attention to himself as he opened the ancient text to a yellowed page marked by a ribbon. He pushed it over to the two demons and pointed to an illustration of the chimera as he explained. "That would sound like a perfect story and Hitorii and I were going off that until I looked into the demon king, Asmodeus. It turns out he is one of the few demons who sympathize with humans on a limited basis, more specifically…women."

Demons sympathizing with humans was not unheard of, he was obviously one example and he was a little relieved that he had one thing in common with the Demonic King of this area. Though that did shoot a hole right through their theory here of Tanya's fate. He rubbed his chin a little as he gave a soft exhalation and confirmed. " So then, Marchosias would not agree in taking a woman against her will as a trade for power. So that leaves the same questions unanswered, what happened to Tanya? What happened to Andrick and why the Bodark are attacking the Kaerkvichs?"

He sunk back in his chair a little, shifting some to the discomfort of his wounds, as he thought the situation over out loud to the two young men before him.

"What we have on the table here is a story with multiple possibilities and motives with no idea which is correct and which isn't. The key to this mess lies in that missing young woman, once we learn her fate we should be able to gain considerable ground towards a resolution here. So then I must ask you both, what do you know about Tanya?"

Hitorii tapped his pen on his notebook lightly as he looked over the picture that was taped on the page, responding back in a dreary tone. "Not much unfortunately, both she and her fiancé mysteriously vanished four months ago. To make things worse record keeping in this country is spotty at best, so for all we know they are in China right now."

That little bit of news made the youkai tilt his head a little at the whelp, he waited a few moments to see if either one of them would add more to it before he finally gave a sigh and shook his head. "Have either of you considered asking the local demons or forest folk if any of them have been seen these individuals pass by?"

He gazed between the two then as they both gave him an odd look, Sakagami this time cleared his throat as he put his briefcase back on the floor. " We did send word to the local faerie of the forest but alas these creatures are fickle and prone to making up stories."

Hitorii arched a brow a little to the ancient demon sitting beside him, dropping his pen he reached for his tea cup as he added to his partners answer. "That was the first thing we tried to do, but the demons here are reluctant to interact with us and the faeries are nothing more than tricksters. But I have a feeling that our stature is probably the reason behind it, neither Sakagami nor I have any reasonable power...Yet…I know what your thinking."

That brought a little smile to the old youkai's face as he closed his blue eye and gave a little nod to the whelp. Demons were very much like humans when it came to regionally specific traditions and customs but a few things were universal. Just as a smile known everywhere for humans, demons tended to be more respecting to elders, especially those elders who had some stature. Unfortunately he was not quite a Daiyoukai beyond the title anymore but he would still try. He looked between the two then and sat up a little, giving a small flinch as his head wound began to throb. Raising a hand to that bandaged eye he focused back on the two before him as he requested.

"Your right Hitorii, for this I will need all the information on the fae and demons present in this area, I would also need something from each of the missing humans. Something that contains both a scent and residual aura would be best."

Hitorii noticed the youkai's sudden discomfort and quickly shut his note book, his golden eyes narrowing on that head wound. He knew that youkai were generally strong creatures and even an inugami would survive a head shot like this but bone restructuring in general was a painful process to undergo. Then there was the concern that the old youkai appeared a little weakened, probably from all the time spent in his canine form and being unable to hunt properly. So it brought him some concern to see the old dog touch that bandaged wound.

"Alright Furui but I think first you should go back to bed and let your head rest, do you want me to administer more pain killer for you?"

He closed that blue eye as a wave of pain wracked through his skull mercilessly, he wanted to deny that anything was wrong but as he opened his eye again to gaze to Hitorii the whelps concerned look told him that he wouldn't be convincing anyone here. Conceding defeat he gave a little nod to the suggestion of bed for now.

" Thank you Hitorii for the offer but no, I think I am done with injections for a little while. A bit of rest is all I need while this eye rebuilds itself, if you'll excuse me gentlemen. "

Rising to his feet he was instantly hit with a wave of dizziness but still managed to grip the table before he could fall and wave off Hitorii who had jumped out of his chair to try and assist him. It was a touching gesture but it made him feel old and feeble to have anyone help him walk up the stairs. Navigating the spinning room he made his way from the table and up the stair case towards his bed room without any embarrassing incidents. Leaving Hitorii and Sakagami to watch intently ready to catch the stubborn dog if they had to.

Once the bedroom door shut the young demon sunk back down into his chair and looked over to his working partner. Flashing him a smirk as he propped his chin on his elbow and let his tail flick back and forth. The whole thing making the whelp look a little like a Cheshire cat as the older man beside him made a face. Before he leaned in and addressed Hitorii in a low tone, fearful of how acute the old demon's ears could still be.

"I find it interesting that he still wears that charm, pity for him we've already seen his true features without it. Nonetheless the resemblance is uncanny are you sure you are not aware of any lost family members?"

"Only males I know of are my Dad and my uncle, I have a grandfather but his bones are resting in the youkai grave yard. My only guess is he maybe related to my grandmother somehow, but then I could be wrong too. I've never heard of an ancient dog demon being raised as an Inugami so I really have no clue what to expect here with him." Hitorii's little smirk faded some as he tapped a clawed finger on the table, his eyes rolling to the bed room where the old dog disappeared into.

"He won't tell me anything about himself, so I am stuck right now over who he could be. But I guess if he's willing to help us stop the Bodark from tearing apart the town then I should leave it alone and accept his help."

Sakagami pulled out a few books from the case as he listened to Hitorii recount what little he knew about the old dog demon he found in the forest. He knew something here was fishy but he wondered if it was wise to pursue the ancient demon's story? The fact the demon had knowledge about his ancestors past was more than enough reason to not do anything that could risk driving him off. Something did though come to mind and he looked over to Hitorii as he asked cautiously.

"Did you call your father?"

-end.


	14. Cursed Soul

Chapter 14 - Cursed Soul

On the desk of his bed room the ancient book on demonology sat untouched, his glasses sitting on top of the worn looking cover that had yet to be opened. He would rather be studying it at the moment but right now he was in the process of fitting himself into a pair of blue jeans and a cream colored sweater. From the moment the Inu No taishou had awakened, the whelp Hitorii had been hovering around him like an overly concerned nurse. He forced the old demon to sit down while he changed his bandages, poked him in his protruding ribs, administered more medication and just to make sure his concerns were heard, poked him in the ribs once more.

The whelp made it clear that the old youkai would not get anything done until he ate something and despite his objections he knew the younger demon was right. In his time spent as the Kaerkiviche family's dog he'd had limited opportunities to hunt. A demon could go for a long time without a meal but they suffered for it just like any other living thing did. Because he was underfed his wounds were healing much slower then normal.

With a look of defeat he grabbed a robe and under Hitorii's watchful eye he was herded down into the dining room and held captive there until he devoured what amounted to a feast for dinner. Once he had a belly full of roasted venison and root vegetables he though he could finally begin his research when Hitorii struck again. Entering the bed room he retreated to after dinner with a set of clothes he had to search all over the house for.

When he was finally alone again he gave a soft sigh and closed his good eye, his fingers coming up to rub at his temple. He knew Hitorii meant well but he was becoming irritated with all the obstacles springing up between him and that Demonology book. After taking a slow breath to calm himself he opened his eye again and was greeted by his reflection in the only mirror in the room.

The mirror was full length and framed in antique looking brass, it would have been lovely had it not contained a bandaged and battered looking man within it.

The jewel was still present and hid away his demonic features, which made him all that more uncomfortable with his appearance. He eyed his reflection with an untrusting expression on his face as he buttoned on his jeans, trying to keep his focus on the garment. A task that became easier when he noticed how snug the jeans were around his rear, did this make his butt look big? He turned some and ran a hand along his rump as he deliberated the possibility.

He realized how silly he looked and turning from the mirror he the sweater to slip on next, relieved that the garment was not as snug to his body as the jeans were. Instead it was loose and quite comfortable, which soothed his irrational mood some as he finished straightening it. Then without a thought he grabbed his robe and threw it over the mirror, obliterating the reflection.

He made his way over to the desk and the waiting book, glad to finally have some peace and quiet. Settling down into his chair he picked the glasses up off the cover and slipped them on, only to flinch as a knock came from the door! His one blue eye narrowed some as he slowly turned in his chair and flashed a look at the door and whoever was standing on the other side. Silently he reminded himself that it was rude to maul people when you were staying somewhere as a guest and drew a breath to calm down.

"Enter."

He answered in a tone that sounded a little more harsh than he intended, too late now to retract that as the door clicked and hesitated a second before finally opening. Sakagami stood there dressed in what looked like sweat pants and a long sleeve shirt. His shoulder length hair pinned back which coupled with his glasses, made him look like a student. He flashed the old youkai a wary look with those silver eyes before he moved into the room, holding two steaming mugs of tea in his hands as he bowed. "Sorry to interrupt, I know you are busy tonight." 

It still amazed him how Oshoromaru's curse stood the test of time, it required powerful magic to curse a soul. The fact that this poor soul remained cursed through its many reincarnations was evidence enough of how powerful the Inu no Obake was. He smiled at Sakagami as he stepped inside and nudged the door closed behind him, the youkai reaching out to take one of the mugs off his hands as he nodded.

" We still have some time and I have learned quite a few things about the demon lords of this land. But something tells me you are here to ask about a demon from back home."

The man pulled up a chair across from the youkai and settled himself down, not looking fazed over his assumption as he smiled back. " Yes...I did have questions about my ancestors, but I also have questions about you." 

He carefully set the cup of tea down on the desk as he watched his visitor with a knowing look on his face. Sakagami may have been a man approaching the middle of his life span but he had a pup's curiosity shimmering in those silver eyes. He flashed the fellow a little smile and raised a hand to stop his first question in his tracks before he started. "Perhaps you should tell me a little about yourself first Mr. Sakagami, I would like to know who I am imparting information to."

It was a reasonable request and he did catch a brief, frustrated look on the man's face before he hid it behind his mug of tea. Sakagami took a moment to think over his response before setting the cup down in his hand and acknowledging the youkai's request with a nod.

"I have two jobs, essentially. I am a historical investigator and I am a private broker for many...special clients."

He took one look at the Daiyoukai's arching brow, taking it as a silent request to explain further. He fiddled with his mug a little as he continued to explain.

"As a Historical investigator I am tasked with validating the accuracy of historical references. Imagine that a history book, any history book from a class room text to an ancient scroll, are inaccurate. That they contain historical fiction instead of fact within their pages. That is because history itself is often written based on opinions or mandates over fact, anyone with power of any kind could… and often did re-write history. My own families history is an example as my ancestor who fell to this demon's curse were completely wiped off the historical records."

The youkai could hear and see the passion Sakagami had for his work in the way he spoke and the way he presented himself. He had a punishing task as history for many thousands of years was passed through generations in the form of hearth side tales and songs. Both of which changed with every telling, so when the words finally made it to paper they were a far cry from the truth. He smiled some to Historian and nodded in agreement to his cause. "I can see why Hitorii has you as a partner here in this case."

Sakagami took another sip of his tea and looked thoughtfully over to the youkai sitting across from him. Taking a minute or two before he continued with much more thought out answer for his other job.

" My job as a broker is possibly the hardest of the two, as you know some demons and other supernatural creatures are still present this day and age. Because of modern developments very few remain in their ancestral territories. Most retreat into the remaining wildernesses left untouched by man, while others find a way to live among the modern urban sprawls and towns. "

He pondered over that bit of information, in his travels he came across few youkai until he met Huaa Tong in a relatively rural part of china. But he never once thought of what demons had to do to live among humans in this day and age. His confused look did not go unnoticed by the Historian as he smiled to the youkai and decided to elaborate.

"Once upon a time when you wanted a home you dug a den, built a house, took someone else's house, or bespelled some grove of forest. Unfortunately now a days due to building codes, city regulations and humans keeping maticulate records of an individual's birth and death it's much harder to find a home. There is also the small issue of money as everything in the modern world depends on it more than ever before."

Well that did complicate things didn't it? Money was his least favorite thing, he came from a time where food was more important than money. He himself had little use for it even though as a Daiyoukai he did have coffers of offerings from villages and spoils from his battles. In this era though he could see where that type of mentality would lead to a real culture shock and it was potentially something he would find impossible to avoid as time went on. Sakagami caught the youkai's thoughtful expression on his information and smiled a little.

" I help those who need it integrate into human society, I set up connections, give them human identities, even jobs that serve their...requirements. This job often holds useful perks for me as some demons are old enough to recount historic events. "

"Is that how you met Hitorii?"

That little question popped up in his mind, it was obvious these two were friends but Hitorii looked like a demon who already had a firm grasp on modern society's inner workings. The Historian chewed on his lower lip a moment as he once more took some time to formulate a careful answer.

"Hitorii came to me as a client about 7 years ago, he gave me the task of finding a home in Tokyo that was secluded enough from the population to hide his father who was an old and…very dangerous demon within. Not an easy thing to do I tell you."

The youkai pulled off his glasses then and carefully folded them as he mulled over that. He had his suspicion about the whelp but he was reserved about it as he instead mentioned one little curiosity. "Was that wise? If what I am told is correct, Tokyo is a very crowded city and you helped house a demon nearby? Are you even aware of how strong the demon was?"

"I was told a few horror stories about him and left it mostly at that, I never had the courage to meet him. I make it a rule of thumb to learn only the necessary details of my more dangerous clients and nothing more. For this one, the less I knew the better off I was."

Wise words that brought a smile to the old you kais face, he couldn't blame Sakagami for that. He was a cursed soul but still only human, if one of his demonic clients got out of hand he was helpless against them.

"So you continued on with Hitorii?"

The man rubbed the back of his head a little as he smiled sheepishly. "Hitorii was the proverbial golden egg, he is a friendly demon with a long life that he mostly spent with his nose buried in a book. He has a wealth of knowledge beyond any of his supernatural peers and is easy to get along with. If you don't mind the fact that he loves Karaoke bars and music concerts."

That little fact amused him, it's was not unheard of for demons to sing or play music. In fact youkai often created their own wild parties, the Hayakki Yagyou - Demon Night parade, was one example of youkai getting together for a party. It was also something the old youkai used to indulge in every now and again while he was still a bachelor.

The Historian's smile lit up his face for a moment as he regarding the youkai's amused expression before he reached over to set his empty mug aside. "Alright then Ancient One, I have amused you with my life, now I humbly ask you to answer my questions in return."

He snapped out of his little day dream about the care free days of yore when he was younger, wild at heart, often rude and never realized how foolish he looked trying to dance in full armor. His attention returned to Sakagami before him as he asked to turn the tables, it was only fair but he needed to lay a small ground rule first.

"I wish to tell you now that I am unable to talk very much about my origin and existence through out these years. My apologies but there are things that are best left out of the history books."

The Historian flinched as the youkai managed to shoot down a good number of his questions before they even rolled off his tongue. Those silver eyes narrowed on the demon who regarded him in return with that same amused look from before. "Can you at least tell me of my ancestry? You claimed yourself that you faced the demon responsible for these."

He pulled off his glasses then to regard the demon with his silver eyes that seemed to shimmer intensely with his growing anxiety that could also be heard in his tone. "You must tell me what happened or else I will never find a way to lift this curse!"

That anxious look told the old youkai everything, outside Sakagami seemed calm and composed but when he thought of the curse over his head he immediately became tense. He motioned to the Historian to calm down before setting his half empty mug aside. "Sakagami, I must ask you this first, do you know what youkai are born from?"

Sakagami gave him the most astonished look he'd ever seen, a look that lingered only a few seconds before confusion and annoyance took it's place. The youkai had to flash him a knowing smile before he continued with his little lecture.

"They are borne from humans, more precisely their emotions, for humans are capable of emotions so intense they can affect the world around them even in death. A youkai can be born from anything from jealousy, passion, greed, obsession, fear, hatred and even love. Oshoromaru started from a very humble beginning, he was the pet dog of a merchant's beautiful daughter. Unfortunately she lived in a town that was also the home of the region's Daimyo. This man was young, stupid and very impulsive. He felt he was untouchable and deserved whatever he wanted. He was blinded and drunk from his own power and behaved like he was a god."

The smile on his face twisted in a way that startled the Historian and for good reason, many stories about monsters started like this. Tales were told as precautions and warnings but they were never always heeded and there was always some fool who failed to learn from them. This brought the old youkai amusement and left the Historian a little unsettled as he leaned closer and listened intently.

"When the Daimyo discovered the merchant's daughter he was awe struck with her beauty and wanted nothing more than to add her to his inner court. When the girl refused his request he asked her why. When she claimed she desperately did not want to leave her family the Daimyo had them killed and their home burned to the ground before her eyes. Her dog though managed to escape the destruction and followed her as she was taken to the Daimyo's castle. She vowed though to escape the Daimyo, she said that vow right to his face every opportunity she could. The dog was smart and loyal, with the his help she managed to make good on that vow and escape during night."

By then his tea was cold but needed to wet his throat, he picked up the mug and downed the rest of the contanse, letting the liquid sooth him. Leaving Sakagami to chew over what he had learned so far and stare at the youkai as he waited as patiently as he could manage while still fidgeting. He set the mug on his as he continued on with his little story.

"The Daimyo was enraged when he discovered her escape and himself went after the girl, cornering her on the castle grounds. In an act of desperation and right in front of the Daimyo she managed to take her own life, her vow to escape him repeated with her dying breath. This was when the Daimyo's rage took a terrible turn, he refused to let the girl escape him even death and he vowed to retrieve her no matter what the price. Under the council of an old witch he had the girl's dog captured and subjected it to torture. The dog was bound tightly and every day a plate of food was placed just out of its reach. All while the dog slowly starved to death the Daimyo whispered to the animal blaming its suffering on the human he was loyal to. The human that abandoned him to such a miserable fate, he continued to whisper this until the dog perished and it's soul returned as an Inugami."

Sakagami shook his head a little then and leaned back in his chair as his hands lightly rubbed over his knees. "Then you are telling me the monster that cursed him was an Inugami? I never heard of an Inugami possessing power like that, I see now he was insane but how..."

He frowned as the youkai held up his hand again asking the impatient Historian to quiet down, perhaps he was having a little too much fun telling this tale and with a smile he got to the point of the matter.

"An inugami alone is not powerful enough, what the Daimyo did though was send the inugami into the Yome, the underworld. He stopped at nothing in his desire to imprison the girl forever for escaping him and what better way than to have her beloved pet fetch her back from the dead? He thought he was a fool proof plan and was not prepared for the consequences, it is unclear what happened to the Inugami while it was in the Yome, but it returned stronger than before to attack him instead. The Daimyo did not understand what he had created and when he lost control of the Inugami he had the dog's corpse burned thinking he could dispel the beast by destroying its body. He was terribly wrong."

At this point the Historian looked lost in thought as he tapped his foot on the floor. The youkai could tell he was picking over the details now even before he finished. That twisted smile returned as he shook his head a little before running his clawed fingers through his long black hair, parting it into three as he worked on weaving it into a braid.

" In the end the Daimyo was not able to free himself of the monster he created and paid a heavy price. In his effort to destroy the dog's corpse his castle caught fire, in his attempt to fight off the Inugami he was captured and his body possessed. The last time anyone saw the Daimyo he was calmly walking away from his burning castle, his eyes shining a bright silver. He disappeared but the curse only became known a few years later, when a child was born to his clan who possessed those silver eyes."

He calmly waited for Sakagami to fully absorb everything he had been told while he worked on braiding his hair. The Historian rubbing a hand over his face as he swore something under his breath, speaking up a moment later when he had a little more composure. "So my ancestor created this demon, this demon that targeted my clan over and over again? Every time a boy was born with silver eyes that demon would appear and calamity, no grave suffering would befall the family he was born to! Only when that demon had his fill of torturing entire homes, castles, villages would he devour his prey and the whole cycle begins again!"

The youkai slowly nodded to the Historian's assumption there, shifting some in his seat as he gently added. "Humans who meddle with demons often suffer grave consequences, the worse the meddling the graver the consequence. In your case your ancestor created and sent an Inugami into the Yome where he tapped into the underworlds power and became a Hell Hound. In return your ancestor's soul was cursed, no matter how many times that soul re-incarnated, The ghost dog, the Inu no Obake would find it and punish it."

The word 'punish' here was putting it lightly, among demons it was well known Oshoromaru adored tormenting his cursed victim. He had seen this first hand himself when a silver-eyed child was taken to a village deep in his territory. It was either an attempt to save the child or an attempt to lure the Hell Hound to his doom. For when the Inu no Taishou discovered that another dog was attacking the village and wreaking havoc he immediately went to hunt down the intruder.

The Ghost dog had no idea what he was in for when they first encountered one another and the erupting fight was brief. The youkai relentlessly chased the Hell hound out of the western lands and back to the underworld. Oshoromaru never forgave him for that, nor was he so easy to deal with the next time they clashed. He kept that little bit of information to himself though as he watched Sakagami's expressions, knowing well that the man was trying to see a way to defeating this curse. But then...he had to wonder why?

"Forgive me if I am mistaken but I must ask, is the Ghost Dog even active anymore? He has to be quite ancient himself right now."

He honestly had no idea how long dog demons lived for, he had less of an idea how long Hell Hounds lasted. He knew demons were not immortal by any means, they can die of old age and Oshoromaru was perhaps a little younger than he was. The Historian slowly shook his head to the youkai's question as he shifted in his seat.

"It's not so much about the demon anymore but the stigma the 'cursed' carry with them, children born with silver colored eyes were feared. Even now in this age when someone looks at my eyes I am immediately treated like some kind of monster. " The historian gave a soft sigh then and slowly shook his head. "My family abandoned me, my few friends keep a distance from me, without contact lenses or sunglasses I cannot hold conversations with strangers long. I almost wish the demon would come get me, but somehow I think he is having fun watching me live as a reject to society."

He felt bad for the Historian, humans would fear anything they did not understand it simply didn't look normal to them. Sakagami may have not been a demon but he looked enough like one to frighten others. There were far more frightening things walking about in this world, far more terrifying demons, except for the Whelp. Hitorii was just plain odd as the whelp popped open the door without knocking and peeked into the room. When he saw the two of them there the younger demon stepped inside holding a med kit in his hands and wearing a shirt that sported a cartoon dog laying on a dog house with the word "Snoopy" above it. Yes...frightening demon right there.

" I wanted to check on your eye, it was oozing quite a bit when I last changed your bandages."

He was still annoyed with the whelp's frequent fussing over him and tried to hide it by paying more attention to finishing his the long braid. He knew the whelp was curious and concerned about him but if they hoped to find a solution to this Bodark problem soon both of these fellows needed to leave him alone! He kept his eyes cast down as the whelp shuffled over, until he heard the sound of something dragging. It was faint but familiar sound to him and it instantly pricked at a pet peeve of his. Before he realized what he was doing an almost parental feeling came over him and he snapped!

"Pick up your tail whelp, it's not a sack of rice to be dragged around behind you."

He blinked a moment later and looked up to Hitorii who had frozen in his tracks to the scolding and was staring at him in bewilderment. He realized then that he may have stepped out of place here considering he was a guest. He drew a breath then and bowed his head a little.

"My apologies, I spoke out without thinking."

"It's alright, sorry Furui." Hitorii's posture relaxed some despite the fact that he did pick up his tail off the floor. He exchanged curious looks with the old dog demon and meekly asked.

"Is that a universal thing among dog demons to not drag your tail?"

He flicked the finished braid over his shoulder and gazed to the whelp with that question. At first he thought he was being a smart Alec but when he saw Hitorii's genuinely curious face he reconsidered and smiled a little. Giving a soft chuckle as he shook his head.

"It's undignified in my humble opinion, you do not see mortal dogs dragging their tails ever."

Hitorii tilted his head a little to that response, it was then the youkai noticed that the whelp was freshly washed up and his dampened silvery-white hair was sticking up in a wild and messy way. Hitorii looked like a monkey and he made an effort to hold back that parental urge once again until the whelp walked over closer.

"I am sure you are far to old to be a pup, who taught you how to groom?" He rumbled disapprovingly as he gave in and reached up to fix the whelps hair. Hitorii squinted both eyes closed and sunk his head between his shoulders, his pointed ears drooping a little as he took on a snuffy look. Clearly not keen on being primped by the old dog but not foolish enough to yip about it. The old youkai smirked a little as the whelp gave in and suffered a little fussing himself as he tamed the younger demons hair with his clawed fingers. Until Hitorii opened an eye a crack and looked up to him, posing a little question.

"So were is your tail Furui?"

He stopped his effort to embarrass the whelp with that question and opened his mouth to answer when the phone suddenly rang down stairs. Hitorii practically jumped and quickly raised a finger asking him to hold that thought before he turned and rushed out of the room. Leaving him to watch the whelp in bewilderment as he sat back in his chair and cast the equally confused looking Historian a side long look.

He often found himself wondering why his tails or even his fur for that matter never returned, though sometimes he missed it and sometimes he was glad he didn't have it. The decorative fur and tail was ultimately a side effect of the transformation from a canine form to a humans. Fur did have it's uses but It also had it's hindrances too, the demon could look more fearsome or even larger, until the fur became soaked from rain or falling into water. With the right positioning a tail and fur could make the demon look regal or even wise and then it could also betray the demons feelings unintentionally by twitching or puffing up.

Then there was the meaning behind multiple tails, more tails meant the demon had more power. To his knowledge and to this very day he believed he was the only Inu youkai with two tails which made him instantly recognized among other youkai. It was a mixed blessing to him and thus he had mixed feelings and mixed answers as to why he lacked anything furry in his human form now.

He calmly watched Sakagami as he rocked back in his chair, his attention currently focused on the door Hitorii left open. Both of them though perked a little when the sounds of pounding feet rushed up the stairs. _Graceful as an ox_. He thought to himself until the whelp burst back into the room and immediately shot a look to the Historian as he huffed breathlessly.

"He's coming HERE."

Chapter 14 End.


	15. Seeking Information

_Authors Note: I wanted to apologize for the erratic chapter releases. Some days I can write non-stop, other days I am constantly distracted. I do appreciate the reviews and I thank everyone who is following this story. I will try to be more consistent with each chapter release. Thank you once again! ^_^ _

Chapter 15: Seeking information.

"He is coming HERE."

The look on Hitorii's face was one of confusion and perhaps a little curiosity, but the old youkai only needed to see the ashen complexion on Sakagami's face to know something was defanitly not right here. He turned back to Hitorii then as he regarded the whelp with his one good eye.

"Exactly who is-"

"Excuse me! I really need to talk to Hitorii, alone please! "

Sakagami sounded like he was being strangled as he scrambled from his chair up so quickly he nearly tripped over it. Regaining his composure he quickly strode towards the wide-eyed whelp and unceremoniously turned him around and shoved him right out of the room! The Inu no Taishou watching this turn of events unfold with a curious expression on his face as the two men scurried out and the bed room door was slammed shut behind them.

Out in the hall it was Hitorii's turn to grab Sakagami and push him along, youkai had sharp hearing and if they wanted a private conversation they needed to retreat to the other side of the house. Sakagami marched through the house wearing a look of concern on his face that was bubbling into panic as he did an about-face to his demonic friend the second they reached their destination.

"When you mean "he" you mean **HIM** right? I could have sworn you told me Hitorii that your father hated technology, especially the phone. "

"He does."

"You also told me he hated traveling."

"He does."

"If I remember right you also told me he hated humans. "

"He does."

Sakagami drew in a deep breath in an effort to suppress the urge to grab the closest heavy object and slam it over his friends head. Holding his composure he released that breath and folded his arms over his chest, a hand coming up to pinch the bridge of his nose.

"He still told you he was coming here. "

"Actually he didn't."

"He didn't-?"

"No, he asked me if the Furui was still here and I told him 'yes', then he hung up the phone."

Hitorii watched the look on the historians face turn from concern to sheer confusion and flashed him a big smile. " I just know alright? It's weird that he called me back, usually he has his retainer handle the phone and he asked about the ancient one so that tells me that he's coming here."

The Historian gave a long winded sigh as he ran a hand over his face, flicking back a few strands of black hair that had escaped the hair pins. Hitorii was calm about this but he knew better, he clearly remembered the half page of conditions that needed to be met when he found a property for Hitorii's father. All of those conditions strongly hinted to him that his client was a Demon Lord and a dangerous one at that. He peeked between his fingers then to his friend and asked softly.

"Do you know when he will arrive?"

"No clue."

"Do you have a guess?"

"Not really."

The lamp sitting on the table in the corner was looking rather attractive to Sakagami at the moment, but his attention returned back to Hitorii who was still smiling to him. If the historian didn't know any better, he'd suspect this demon was enjoying this. Hitorri did not miss that look and snickered some before he tried to calm his human friend down.

" Saka-san ...he has to swallow his pride first and make arrangements, then his retainer will lose a lot of sleep trying to find an airplane he'll agree to ride on. I don't like to estimate these things because despite this he can still be unpredictable, but if you have to have a figure we probably have a week or two before we see him here on our door step."

The historian's murderous thoughts subsided a little when his companion finally gave him information he could use. It was a cruel irony really, how he'd come to befriend this dog demon, at first he treated Hitorii the same way he treated other demons. With ample caution and plenty of respect, he believed all demons were dangerous creatures, -until Hitorii dragged him off to a Karaoke bar. The experience definatly opened his eyes to a different side of the demonic world.

Not to mention showed him how badly he sounded belting out the lyrics to 'Achy Breaky Heart' in japanglish after a few drinks.

Hitorii proved he was downright mischievous but not really dangerous, unfortunately the same could not be said about his father. Sakagami did not know much about the dog demon but what he was informed of was more than enough reason for him to put miles between that demon and himself. Hitorii's father was a Demon Lord, a Taiyoukai who had lived for hundreds of years and was very bitter about being displaced from his home lands by modern development. For this he despised humans and Hitroii had mentioned many times that he did not appreciate any contact with them. The fact that he was coming here to their rental home in Russia frightened him and he slowly shook his head as he commented to his friend.

"I have two weeks to find a room at the local inn then, I'm already fated to get eaten by a demon I am not about to rush to that end by tempting your father."

HItorii's smile turned to a smirk as he curled his tail over his feet. " Calm down, he's probably not going to pay you any attention at all. He's interested in the Furui, he'll come here to see the Inu gami himself then be on his way. Trust me Saka, I wont let you get eaten."

"What if you're wrong Hitorii? Not just over your father but over the ancient one upstairs? He comes off as being calm and gentle but who knows if that is a farce? You said yourself you've never seen an Inu gami like him before and you don't know what to expect."

Hitorii's humorous expression faded with that outburst and he subconsciously scratched at his head, messing his hair again. Sakagami had some valid points but he had his gut feelings to go by and tried to explain that as best he could.

"Father is really misunderstood, yeah, he can be cruel but he is also very honorable. He knows your a friend of mine, he wont do anything to you unless you provoke him but your right, I don't know what will happen with the Furui. Inu gami are uncommon in this age, Dog demons are very rare and an Inugami raised from a dog demon is unheard of. Father probably wants to investigate this inu gami and see what business he has in the living world still, you can't be a Taiyoukai without being really nosy."

Sakagami reached over to take off his glasses, before regarding his friend with those silver eyes. " I hope your right Hii-chan. "

Back in the bed room the old youkai was busy reading through that old text, he had been tempted to follow those two and eavesdrop but in the end the opportunity to finally study that book on Demonology was far more tempting.

He was currently bent over the large and ancient volume, his glasses perched on the bridge of his nose as he carefully looked over each yellowed leaf of paper.

Before his eyes old Slavic writing inked onto the pages hundreds of years ago unraveled and realigned themselves into kanji that he could understand.

Unfortunately the kanji was not enough to help him make sense of what he was reading, sadly the fact the book was written by a human was both blatantly obvious and unbelievably frustrating. Descriptions of the Demon King Asmodeus and the Marquise Marchosias were limited to physical appearances taken from eye-witness accounts and the information offered was entirely hearsay.

It wasn't that surprising really, the popular belief is that if you talked about a demon or even said their name you would attract it's attention and in many cases that was true. Because of that belief demons were not very often documented in literature or artwork unless they were dead. On the other hand, demons were not very interested in writing biographies of themselves either. Ultimatly it left him with little information to work off of concerning the Bodark. He leaned back in his chair as he rubbed his chin thoughtfully, his gaze drifting to the photo of the Kaerkvich family sitting beside the book.

He lingered over Tanya in the picture and her fiancé standing beside her, their smiling faces betraying nothing of their plight. They looked like a sweet couple, he was sure the Yeti woman and her Bearded husband were proud of their daughter. While he was studying the young couple something in the photo moved in a motion similar to melting wax but it was gone the instant he focused on it. A dark brow arched as he reached over to pick up the picture, inspecting it carefully. No matter how hard he stared at it though that instance did not repeat itself and he frowned a little as he wondered what it meant.

He barely noticed the soft click of the door as it opened and Hitorii carefully stepped in, his uninjured blue eye rolling to cast the whelp a side long glance as he approached with a case of medical supplies in his hand. Hitorii looked good tempered as usual as he flashed a smile to the old demon and set the case on the desk.

"Sorry about that, Saka-san likes to over react sometimes, now without any other delays I'd like to look at that head wound."

"If possible, once you are finished I will need traveling gear, some provisions and a weapon of some kind. Preferably a blade if there is one available. " The youkai asked without warning as he gently removed his glasses from his face and folded them away. The whelp stopped and flashed him a confused look, the old youkai noticing then that the boys hair a mess once again and he rumbled a soft sound of disapproval before he reached over again to fix it.

"Hitorii, tell me why you cut your hair in the first place? Long hair is the mark and pride of a grown man after all."

Hitorii mock cringed and made a display of squirming as if the grooming was some nefarious attack on his head. Before he snapped out of it and let the old dog amuse himself as he answered honestly. "Maybe it was back in the day where men swung clubs and howled 'Unga-bunga' but I kind of like short hair, easier to..."

Hitorii stopped when he noticed the old dogs flat and unamused look on his face, a sweat drop rolling down his temple as he felt a little chill in the air. After a few heart fluttering moments the old youkai leaned a little closer to the pup's face and asked in a monotone.

"Exactly how old do you think I am?"

Hitorii could not help but wither a little under the weight of that question, his honey-gold colored eyes roamed over the demon before him and forced a sheepish smile onto his face as he answered. "You don't look a day over 27, honest! Anyway...why do you need all those things Furui, are you leaving us already?"

The old youkai's eyes narrowed a little on the whelp as he tried to change the subject, his initial response was to remain silent as he finished fixing Hitorii's hair for the second time that day. Leaving Hitorii to watch on anxiously before the old demon finally sat back, satisfied that he'd frightened the whelp enough.

"The book does contain some information but sadly most of it is quite fictitious, I am not an expert on demons from these wintery lands but I have a feeling they are not what the book describes them as. If I am to find out what the Marquis is up to, I will need to do it the old fashioned way."

"By confronting the marquis yourself?" Hitorri's eyes widened a little as he opened his medical case and pulled out a pair of rubber gloves. He could see the concern and perhaps a little fear etched over the whelps face and he nodded to confirm his worry.

"Indeed, it's the only way, and somehow I think this is an option you have not been able to pursue? More than likely the encounter would not be friendly and understandably so, considering we are foreign demons trespassing in their kingdom."

The look on Hitorii's face said it all, the whelp was not combative by any means and if an altercation arose between him and the local demon lords here in the Russian wilderness he would not escape unscathed, if he managed to escape at all. He flashed the whelp a gentle smile then as he folded his arms over his chest. "I will be honest, I wouldn't be able to do much against one of them in battle either but I am on borrowed time anyway. It's a price I can afford to pay and thus I am best for the job."

Hitorii took on an unreadable expression that looked eerily familiar, he remained quiet while unwrapping the old demon's head wound. He inspected the damage and coaxed his patient to tilt his head back while he carefully cleaned it with

saline. The conversation seemed to be done with and he settled back to let the whelp clean out the wound until Hitorii finally spoke in an even tone.

"You know Vaan is expecting his dog to return home at some point, it's going to break his heart knowing the wolves took another pet from him."

"Vaan knows what I am, he understands that I am not a pet."

"Then he will be heart broken knowing the wolves took his _friend _from him."

He fell silent to that, when Vaan first walked into that kitchen he stared at the man standing before the stove and immediately grew excited. He believed the white dog that they abducted-adopted was a Wakaleck, a more benevolent kind of werewolf. Although he did correct the child as to what he was the fact the boy still admired him remained unwavering. The boy wanted him to come back, he knew this all too well and he did want to grant the boys wish and bring his sister home. Sadly sacrifices may need to be made in order to accomplish that, his train of thought was interrupted as Hitorii broke the silence once more.

" I'm coming with you. I can't fight well and you know that, but I can at least raise a barrier to hinder the Marquis' attacks. It will give us some chance in case things turn sour."

While Hitorri wrapped his head wound a smirk slowly crept over the old demon's face. He knew the danger they were facing, a powerful demon on his home grounds was not something to take lightly but the whelp was still willing to follow him. He decided not to question it as he tilted his head and allowed Hitorii to finish re-dressing his wound.

"I'll show you where there are some weapons kept here, not sure how good they are."

Hitorii pulled off his gloves and shut the medical case before he stepped back to give the old demon a chance to get up and follow. The whelp led the way - Taking care not to drag his tail- out of the bedroom and off towards a part of the large house that the old demon had not seen yet, nor did it look particularly used. The hall was almost bare of any decorations and the floor looked like it had not seen a broom in a few weeks. He was about to comment on the unkempt portion of the house when Hitorii stopped to open a door and step aside, motioning him to enter.

The room he stepped into seemed to be harboring all the decorations that were missing from the hall, furniture was pushed up against walls, boxes were piled everywhere and he counted at least four rolled up rugs piled into a pyramid. Everything was blanketed in a thin layer of dust that immediately rose into the air once disturbed . Holding his sleeve over his nose and mouth the old youkai braved the way into the center of the room, his gaze traveling over the many opened boxes holding artwork and old clothing. When he spotted a wooden crate that looked just about long enough to harbor what he was looking for. He sunk down to a knee and pried open the lid with one quick yank.

Nestled in a bed of shredded newspaper was an assortment of katana along with a shipping slip that foretold that these were mail order weapons. He had a sinking feeling these were display quality weapons as he selected one from the pile and slowly slid the blade from it's scabbard. His suspicions were confirmed when the words 'Made in china' were found stamped onto the steel. Hitorii came up behind him and peered over his shoulder, looking a little apologetic.

"Sorry Furui but katana swords are not easily found around here, I don't particularly know how to use one anyway so this is all we have for traditional weapons. There are rifles in the house if you want to use them but somehow I doubt they will do much to the local demons."

Setting the scabbard aside he decided to test the blade by grabbing the flat of the other end and trying to bend it. Instantly the sword snapped like a twig and sent shards of steel flying, the violent sound alone was enough to make the whelp jump back with a yelp. He looked over the two broken ends a moment as he amused himself by quizzing the startled whelp. " Hitorii...do you know why the sword shattered like that?"

The whelp looked over at the broken blade a moment in dismay before he drew a breath and answered honestly. "Because it's made from pressed steel instead of folded steel, a good quality katana is flexible because the steel is folded hundreds of times by the smith. Cheap katana are made from steel bars pressed into molds, so the metal is brittle and prone to breaking."

"Good answer and you managed to give me some insight on how these blades were made in this day and age." He responded back in amusement as he set the broken blade aside and started to search through the remaining swords. Each one was a cheap knock off and he began to think there was nothing useful there until he discovered one that seemed to have a better quality steel than the rest. The blade possessed a white wrapped handle with silver trimmings and a white scabbard of polished wood. It looked tacky but it was better than nothing as he flipped the blade over to investigate the steel in the dim light, before he slowly slid the weapon back into it's sheath. He then stood up from the dusty floor and took a moment to brush off his knee before he turned to the whelp.

"Well then, lets get our coats and head for the forest shall we?"

Hitorii clasped his hands behind his back and rocked a little on his feet as he watched the old dog inspect that final blade. Before he gave his seal of aprooval and rose to his feet. A thin brow arching as he flashed him an amused look. "Is that all your taking with you? Just a junk sword? Furui do you really think that is going to be enough to possibly fight these demons?"

A knowing little smile spread over his face as he made his way past the inquiring whelp and headed for the door. Propping that blade lightly over his shoulder as he paused in the door way and answered the whelp.

"Of course not, but that doesn't mean that it is entirely useless does it? A weapon after all, is only as good as the one wielding it. This sword is a cheaply made replica of a true Katana, but I do have some faith that my swordsmanship will make up for that."

He looked over his shoulder then to regard Hitorii with his good eye, letting him see that all too knowing smile on the old youkai's face. "I may only be an Inugami now but that does not mean I do not have a few tricks up my sleeve."

Hitorii returned the old dogs knowing smile although he remained quiet, he knew there was much more to this inugami than he had shown so far. Despite the odds being stacked against them this old demon seemed far too calm about the whole situation. So he decided it was pointless worrying himself about his encounter, he would trust in this old dog's wisdom.

Hitorii's smile remained on his face as he casually paced towards the doorway and slipped past the old dog. Teasing the dog as he started down the hall at a casual pace. "I guess I have nothing to worry about then, you're the oldest of the old. Maybe the demons around here will respect a great-great-great-great-great grandpa like you enough to not attack us?"

He suddenly felt the very air around him growing cold as a little youki started to spark behind him. His only warning came in the form of a hiss followed by the sound from a foot scuffing on the floor.

Hitorii started running…

End.


	16. Moonlit Snow

Chapter 16 - Moonlit Snow.

The sun was beginning to set over the Russian forest when the jeep finally bounced to a stop in the middle of a snow covered path. Its engine silenced a moment later before its doors popped open. Hitorii was the first to hop out of the vehicle and into snow that was so deep his boots were barely high enough to keep him dry. He looked out over the forest as he took his fur lined winter hat and gingerly slipped it over his head, mindful of the bump that was still present. It didn't hurt as badly as before but it still smarted enough to remind him never to verbally relate the old youkai in his company to a fossil ever again.

The culprit behind the whelps head trauma, The Inu No Taishou, stepped out of the jeep next and exercised a little more caution regarding the depth of the snow around them. His gaze locked on the forest ahead as he sniffed the air once more and reached up to fix his snow hat. The wintry breeze gently blew over the two dog demons, carrying with it the scent of Bodark wolves. It had taken them most of the remaining daylight hours to find this scent on the wind and track it down.

When they left the house earlier in the day the two dog demons decided on a simple plan. To roll down the windows of the jeep and air scent for the wolves as they drove around the Russian wilderness. Starting from the last place they encountered the wolves Hitorii drove them around in an ever widening circle. Half hanging out of the drivers side window while the old dog demon reclined on the back seat. The effort took them an hour or so but they managed to catch a fresh scent of wolf on the winds and from there they tracked it until they reached the edge of the wilderness where the vehicle could no longer travel safely.

The old dog slipped his shoulder bag on and picked up the Katana before he shut the jeep's door and started to trek into the forest. The air was icy cold and he shivered some under his thin coat, a necessary sacrifice as he needed the mobility that a thicker winter coat would restrict. But fortunately for him it was a problem with an easy remedy as he came equipped with a built in fur coat. Before he could transform though he reached up for his necklace, pulling off the little blue crystal and pocketing it as his human disguise faded away and left his demonic features in full view.

He needed to confront the demon that controlled this area and for that he needed to properly show that he was also a demon himself. He noted Hitoriis footsteps coming up behind him as he let his demonic power flare and a blue aura envelop his form, which obliterated it from sight before the shimmer of energy began to fade and he bound back out in his canine form. There was one small issue to this dog form and it was the eye injury he was still recovering from. The transformation process had the unfortunate side effect of worsening wounds. His eye and most of the socket around it needed to heal after a rifle bullet shattered it. A few days ago it was a really ugly looking wound, today it had healed enough that the eye bandage he wore was almost unnecessary. But he knew the transformation took a toll on that eye when he felt a shot a pain running through his skull from it. A small sacrifice as he shook himself off to ease the discomfort and started off through the snow towards the source of the Bodark scent.

Hitorii remained in human form as he followed after the ancient dog, his gaze studying the demon closely as he moved. For an Inu youkai he was small but he still managed to look quite formidable, he had a powerful build with an impressive muscle tone that was uncharacteristic for his kind. But perhaps the most interesting attribute of the dog was his twin tails. Before becoming an inugami, this dog demon had enough power that his tail split in two. In that time he must have been a terrifying beast of mythic proportions. Not saying that he wasn't a frightening force right now, the mystery that this old dog cloaked himself in alone made him that way.

The weight of the whelps gaze did not go unnoticed, he knew he was taking an added risk by parading around like this before him but his options were limited and the advantages outweighed the drawbacks. He did not conceal his demonic aura this time, instead he let it spread out around him as he trotted along through the snow. Effectively announcing himself to anything around that could sense it, projecting an unspoken message of '_I am here, approach me if you dare._' The impact was almost immediate as all the sounds of life in the wintry forest stopped. Birds ceased chirping, deer scampered away and the forest as a whole seemed to hold it's breath as the Daiyoukai passed through.

Scattering the local wild life though was not his aim here and he kept his senses on the alert for the Bodark. The wolves scent was carried on the icy cold wind and was becoming stronger by the moment. He confirmed that he had been noticed when Hitorri saw the first dark shapes lurking in the snow rimmed shadows and froze mid step behind him. The old youkai pausing right after to look back at the whelp before nodding his head, silently advising him to remain out of sight before he continued on, putting a distance between himself and the younger demon.

He made his way over to a fallen tree and gracefully leaped up onto it, sitting himself down and wrapping his tails around his feet. Striking a noble looking pose as he quietly watched the forest around him and waited for the wolves.  
>The last time he encountered the wolves in the forest they had tried to circling behind him to attack hoping to catch their enemy by surprise. This time though he could only smell the wolves in front of him and they were not making any effort to hide their movements through the snow covered forest floor. A good sign that they had no initial intentions of attacking, who really knew about later?<p>

The first wolf broke through the snowy underbrush and immediately froze in his tracks once it spotted him, it's smaller companion breaking through right beside him and also coming to a dead stop. In the pale moonlight the dog demons crimson eyes glowed and his silvery fur shimmered, which combined with his physique and confident pose made him look like something from a horror story.

It was definitely enough to spook the werewolves and the faint smell of fear that wafted through the forest air brought him a little amusement.

That amusement was lost when he heard what sounded like the voice of an old man, by the harshness and octave of the tone he was cursing mad about something. His curiosity was piqued when both wolves suddenly yelped as something pushed between them. The Bodark shuffling off to either side to make way for old man who looked no taller than perhaps three and a half feet. He was skinny looking despite wearing several layers of furs and tanned leathers, his hair and beard sticking out in all possible directions. Judging from the wrinkles on his face the youkai guessed this old coot to be about ninety, but the glimmer in his beady eyes fore warned him not to trust what he saw. He trusted him even less when he hobbled out into the moon light, at first glance the old man looked like a crazed hermit, until one noticed the small pewter charms woven into his beard and the black blade of a short sword hanging off his hip.

He was definitely not human yet he found it hard to believe this was the Grand Marquis either. According to Hitorri, Marchosias was trapped in the form of a wolf due to a curse thrown over him for his insubordination, so then who in the seven hells was this? He watched curiously as the old man waved around a gnarled looking walking stick which he used to prod the wolves' noses. He garbled something in such a gluttural tongue that he could only guess must have been a old form of Russian long since unused by the modern populace.

The Bodark though understood it fine and regarded the old man respectfully, the smaller one though had a paw over his snout. The old man smiled to the pair of them as he leaned on his walking stick, Taking on the appearance of a proud old grandpa. Before his face suddenly contorted into a fury that was echoed in the sudden scream of words that the youkai could only assume was a storm of profanity! The two wolves nearly ran into each other in their desperate scramble to leave the scene, both plunging back into the snow covered underbrush and taking off into the woods.

The old man gave a huff at the departing wolves before turning to the youkai sitting calmly on the fallen tree. He showed neither fear nor any signs of caution as he hobbled his way on that walking stick towards the dog. The youkai remained stoic and dignified as he regarded the grisly looking old man that stopped to study him as a shaky hand lightly stroked his untamed beard. His beady little black eyes roamed over the dogs features as he mumbled something to himself, before he picked up that cane and made a motion to poke the dog. The tip of his cane stopped a mere inch from the snout of the dog, who's lips were curled back in a snarl baring a set of fangs that were far larger than a normal canines, almost saber like.

The youkai held his composure despite baring his teeth at this man, he obviously wasn't sure what he was dealing with here. It was possible this old man was in truth terrible demon, but the youkai had his pride here and to hell with it if he was about to let himself get poked and prodded. The old man arched a wrinkled brow at the dog in amazement before a dark red color began to blossom over him. Within the blink of an eye the man's anger returned with a vengence as he hollered at the top of his lungs before going into a harsh sounding verbal assault. It was the dog's turn to take on a look of amazement, he had no idea what the old man was saying exactly but he had good reason to believe it was definitely not flattering .

The man stopped his string of verbal rage to catch his breath, staring at the dog's unwavering expression angrily before he stepped closer and unleashed a second round in the loudest tone he had mustered yet. This time the dog's red eyes narrowed as his composure began to crack, he prided himself on his ability to control his anger better than most youkai but even he had his limits. This stupid old man was looking for a reaction from him and he was going to get his wish. The old man stopped for another breath as he got closer still and raised his cane, he looked ready to whack the dog over the head as he flashed him a toothless sneer and said a few more nasty sounding things. He stopped mid sentence when the youki around him suddenly intensified without warning.

The demonic aura that he had allowed to expand around him was drawn back so quickly that it stirred up the snow around him, a dark blue light flared and swallowed up his form in the next moment. His glowing red eyes shimmered through the violently swirling energy as he retook his human form in a transformation that was flashier than intended, but he couldn't help it, he was mad. He stood up from his previous position, crimson remaining in his eyes as his aura expanded back out so forcefully that it kicked up his hair and the snow as it swept outwards in a circle around him. Somewhere in the forest he could hear Hitorii hitting the snow, either ducking for cover or from getting slapped by a wave of turbulent youki.

He glared down at the old man with narrowed crimson eyes and a cold look on his face, the remaining youki that flowed around him gently fanned out his silvery white hair, adding to his already menacing look. The old man had retreated back a step while staring at the youkai before him with a look of concern, normally he would have been satisfied with that but this time he wasn't, he was not finished with this fool. This old coot wanted a reaction from him, well here was his reaction!

"YOU WRETCHED LITTLE GREMLIN! DO NOT DARE TAKE ME FOR ONE OF THOSE FLEA-BITTEN, MANGE COVERED LAP MONGRELS YOU PUSH AND POKE AROUND! I DARE YOU TO RAISE YOUR VOICE AT ME ONE MORE TIME! I WILL TEAR OUT YOUR VOCAL CORDS ALONG WITH THE REST OF YOUR THROAT! I WILL TAKE THAT BLASTED CANE OF YOURS AND RUN IT THROUGH THAT BIG MOUTH OF YOURS TO SPEAR SHRIVELED AND DECREPPID BODY ON A SPIT LIKE A SKEWERED RAT! "

His voice thundered through the forest loud enough to cause the very trees around them tremble and his words were laced with a vicious sounding growl that alone promised a lot of pain if they were not heeded. Every bit of what he said was dripping with a rage that caused his demonic aura to fluctuate and flare like swelling waves on a stormy sea. He knew the old man did not understand a single thing he said but in lieu of that he made damned sure he felt every last bit of this Daiyoukai's intent to reduce this old man to a blood stain in the snow if he continued with the disrespectful attitude.

The old man had fallen backwards and tumbled a few feet under the youkai's much louder, more brutal sounding verbal assault. He sat there in the snow looking up to the demon with an absolutely bewildered expression on his old face. He raised that gnarled hand and gently stroked his beard in thought, studying the demon for a long few moments before he opened his mouth once more.

"Well done friend, well done. I iz see clear who has bigger lung here!"

The words sounded Russian but he could clearly understand it as if the old man were speaking in his native tongue. It was a curiosity that intrigued him but he kept that hidden as he continued to glare at the old man with a disapproving look on his face. His demonic aura beginning to calm down as the snow around them settled, which in turn allowed Hitorii to sneak a little closer to the scene. The old man noticed the whelp that was peeking from the snowy brush and gave a big toothless smile.

"Heehee! You has a little friend! Comes here...comes here! " The old man made a beckoning motion with his hands, trying to coax the whelp as if he were a stray dog. Hitorii gazed over to the old youkai with some uncertainty, looking for some reassurance and only daring to step out from the brush after the old dog nodded to him. The whelp had a reason to be nervous at this point, not just because of this little old man, but also the old youkai. Whatever suspicion Hitorii had before of this Inugami, it was nothing compared to what he witnessed within the last ten minutes. He cautiously made his way over to the old dog demons side as he stared at the old man.

"Do not look so terrified Hitorii, it's unbecoming of your kind."

The whelp nearly jumped when the old dog beside him spoke, his tone was low and still accompanied by a lingering growl, but he managed to find some comforting reassurance in it. Casting the youkai a side long look he stood up a little straighter and drew in a controlled breath to calm himself. The old man looked between the two, obviously not understanding a lick of what was being said between them but guessing what it could be as the younger dog seemed to calm down. He tapped his cane in the snow to get the dogs attentions before he motioned with his hand.

" Comes comes, Old Bahae brings you to good talking place."

The youkai's golden eyes rolled back to the old man as he gave that beckoning wave once more and found himself suppressing the urge to remove that hand. His temper had not cooled yet and in a show of stubborn pride and perhaps a little spite, he took his time and waited till the old man had hobbled to the edge of the forest bramble before he bothered to follow. Hitorii bringing up the rear but staying very close to his side, keeping a watch for anything else that could be lurking in the forest.

'Old Bahae' as he called himself led the two dogs over a path that was well trampled with paw prints, the scent of Bodark was everywhere and quite fresh. But if the were wolves were lurking near they seemed to be taking care not to be seen by the two dogs. While Hitorii looked about warily the old youkai kept his gaze locked on Bahae, his face expressionless though his still bubbling anger could be felt from his demonic aura. He did not trust this creature, he knew this old man's look was nothing more than a guise for something that was probably far more sinister. But he wanted to keep that thought to himself and go along with the little game here until all the pieces had shown themselves.

They emerged into a small clearing after a little while, at its center was a roaring fire and several logs positioned as seats around it. Behind the fire pit there was a large earth home dug out of the hill side like a wolves den, only there was a large door and a small window in the front. Bahae waved his hand to the two dogs one more and lead the way towards the earth home, the youkai once more giving into stubborn pride and taking his time till the little old man had reached the door before he followed.

The moment he set foot in the camp he felt an icy tingle that shot from the bottom of his feet to his head and for a brief second all he could smell in the air was fresh green sap.

It was only a second but it was enough to make him freeze in his tracks and lift his head, sniffing the air lightly as he searched for that scent. His angry aura went out like ice water dumped over a hot coal and his mood shifted to one of wariness. Hitorii stopped and stared at the old youkai beside him a moment, mimicking him as he sniffed the air, looking for anything amiss. When he didn't find anything he gazed back to the old dog, waiting for a clue as to what he could have found. When none came he reached a gloved hand to touch his arm as he whispered softly. "What is it Furui? Why did you stop?"

For a few long minutes he searched for that scent in vain, it was there and gone in an instant and there was not mistaking it for anything else. He softly exhaled as he calmed himself down and tilted his head a little to regard the worried looking whelp beside him. "I thought I smelled something familiar, but it seems I am mistaken."

It was a lie and the look on Hitorii's face silently told him that he knew it, he flashed him a little smile before his gaze drifted back to the old man waiting for them at the door. Bahae also looked curious to the display the old dog had shown but he stayed quiet as the two youkai continued through the camp towards him. Around the camp wolves began to appear but they remained at a respective distance, peering at the new comers curiously. The old youkai took the time to shoot each wolf a look, a cold and quite stern look that silently warned them to keep their distance.

Inside the earth home was made up of one large room, big enough for easily thirty people to live in if it wasn't packed to the ceiling with everything imaginable. From sleeping bags and camping gear to weapons and cook ware lined the walls and littered the floor. In the center of the large room was a round table surrounded in chairs and sitting right in front of two large barrels that were tapped. Bahae motioned to the two dogs to take a seat as he shuffled his way to the a shelf lined with bottles. Reaching out a shaky hand to select one while his guests made themselves at home. 

The two dogs took their time easing themselves into chairs though for different reasons, the old youkai had his eyes locked on Bahae but Hitorii was looking around the room curiously. Giving into his inner pup in a way that his older companion may have found cute had it not been for the current circumstance. Bahae immediately busied himself by playing the good host and before either of the dogs knew it they had two shot glasses filled with something clear set before them.

"In Russia we welcome house guests with a drink! Drink up friends, Drink up! "The old man gave a laugh as he held up his own glass in a salute.

"It's Vodka." Hitorii warned from his seat beside him as he picked up his shot glass and humored Bahae by holding it up in a return salute. The old youkai gazed down to the glass set before him and casually picked it up, the contents looked like water and had a muted smell to it. It seemed harmless enough and a brief look at the whelp beside him gulping the drink down convinced him it was safe enough. After all he'd had some pretty strong drinks in his time, no thanks to a certain Potions Sage. He raised the glass to his lips and downed the contents in a couple of gulps, realizing he was wrong about two seconds later when the whelp beside him started gagging and coughing.

The vodka went down quite smoothly but what followed it was a fiery burn that ran from his tongue to his stomach. He made a face and clapped a hand over his mouth as he quickly smothered a cough that threatened to force the harsh liquid right back out the way it came. Bahae in the mean time was having a good laugh at his guests expense, watching the older demon as his face took on a reddish color while the younger one nearly fell out of his chair trying to control his gag reflex.

"I take it, this isn't normal vodka?" The old dog managed to wheeze out after a minute before he leaned over and rubbed still hacking whelps back. He could still feel the burning sensation in his throat and the heat in his reddened face. There was more to this drink than simple alcohol, and he gazed over to the old man suspiciously. "I wonder what he is planning."

"Bahae is not planning anything, iz hard speaking to new friend when Bahae cannot understand friend. Now Bahae understand new friends, we talk now huh?" The old man gave another big toothless grin as this time he set down clean glasses and a bottle of normal drink. It was a sneaky tactic but he had to admit he understood why his host did it. The youkai after all wouldn't willingly accept a spell cast over him by a stranger for any reason and this was a little more convenient. Better than picking through his under used English vocabulary, he warily eyed the glass the old man filled for him before he drew a breath and began.

"So then I assume you understand my friend and I, a good thing as we have a few questions. Starting with why you are living with the Bodark?"

Bahae gulped down his drink without so much as a flinch before he set down the glass and gave a content sigh. His beady eyes rolling over to the demon as he took his time answering, silently motioning to his guest to drink up. "Bodark are old Bahae's friends, wez all live here for hundreds of years!"

The old dog eyed his drink once again as he dared take another sip, the burn of the alcohol was still there but not as bad as before. As the drinks warmth worked through his body he ran a clawed finger over the top of the glass and looked to his host. " Are you the Grand Marquis Marchosias then? We are looking for him regarding a string of attacks on a Kaerkvich family."

Bahae's jovial and friendly appearance disappeared in an instant as he slowly set the vodka bottle down, his dark and beady eyes studying the old youkai sitting before him for a long moment. "Bahae was going to ask new friend if he knew what happened to Marchosias as well. The Grand Marquis disappeared suddenly when he visits your human family months ago."

"Dissapeared?" He echoed as he regarded Bahae's hardened espression before him, he slowly shook his head as he countered. "Tanya Kaerkvich and her fiance Andrick Bonvus also vanished some time ago. Are you sure the Marquis did not take them some where for his own needs?"

He was answered by a fist slamming on the table, the old man before them had a look of cold fury on his face as he looked the dog demon in the eye and growled. "Marchosias has no reason to hide anywhere with two humans, no friend, you are wrong. Marchosias iz missing and those humans knows what happened, yes?"

"The Kaerkvich's don't know what happened, all they know is that the Bodark stole their daughter. They have no other information, I've asked them hundreds of times while trying to look for her." It was Hitorii that spoke up then, his voice a little rough sounding after the first shot of enchanted vodka. His normally placid looking face also hardened into a stern expression as he watched Bahae. The old man sat back in his chair and ran a hand through his scraggly beard, the rage in his face gone.

"Bahae tells friends this, the Bodark are not the ones who took your Tanya, whatever iz responsible took your Tanya and my Marchosias. " His beady eyes then focused on the older youkai as he continued. " Bodark haz been watching humans for months, then they seen the white devil they bring home. They saw you. Bodark think you knows of Grand Marquis fate. But friend proves Bodark wrong about white devil" He jerked a gnarrled finger in the old youkai's direction, before he picked up the bottle of vodka to refill their glasses.

Realization dawned on the old youkai as he rubbed his face a moment with a clawed hand and hissed softly. The wolves knew exactly what he was from the moment he stepped out of that shack for the first time. The vet who he later discovered was the alpha, also knew exactly what he was. That shack that he had thought was under siege was really under surveillance. Why did it not dawn on him sooner? That little house had absolutely no real defense from the were wolves, that was proven when the wall was smashed and Vaan dragged out. The fact the wolves attacked at all was probably due to him, killing the members of the pack in that clearing then the battle outside of the shack.

The image of Vaan's motionless body in the snow brought a sick feeling to his stomach, had he only known what was going on sooner…

If the Bodark were not the root of this problem then what was? He found it hard to believe the Kaerkviches were responsible for the disappearance of their daughter, her fiancé and a very old and powerful demon. This whole mystery was deepening by the moment, what could have happened to a pair of humans and a demon? What were they involved in that could effect all of them in the same way and where could they possibly be now? He let his hand drop and picked up the shot glass, downing the contents in a single gulp. Giving a soft sigh as he set the glass down and let his one golden eye flash a side long glance to the old man.

"I need you to tell me everything you know."

Chapter 16 - end.


	17. The Smell of Sap

Chapter 17 - Smell of Sap.

For the hundredth time he wondered if it ever stopped snowing in this country. For the hundredth time he realized that was a silly question to ask and for the hundredth time he watched his answer coming down from the cloudy heavens. Ever since The Inu no Taishou arrived in this remote town the only participation he'd seen was a fall of white flakes. Did this place ever see spring? Did the rumble of summer thunder ever echo over the tree tops? He was letting his mind wander off topic despite knowing better, but the information he was supposed to be going over in his head made absolutely no sense. No matter which way he looked at Old Bahae's story he could not piece it together with the Kaerkiviche's plight.

If only the snow held answers. Instead it made their trek through the forest more difficult. At least though, the snows cold caress soothed away the liquor stoked heat from his face. Bahae had the habit of refilling their glasses with vodka quite often and expected the two dogs to drain them every time. The spirit was powerful stuff yet that old wretch guzzled it down like water. As to not offend their host he dutifully emptied his glass. Meanwhile his thought processes were getting fuzzier and fuzzier. They could not have escaped Bahae's hospitality fast enough. Unfortunately it was not quick enough to save Hitorri.

The poor whelp was walking through the snow unsteadily with a goofy looking smile on his flushed red face. His hat was barely hanging onto his head and his crescent moon peeked out from a mess of white hair. He had hoped to talk further with him about what they had learned, until Hitorii had started to sing.

Now some rendition of what may have been a j-pop song was echoing through the forest. He had to admit when the whelp was not going off key he had a good singing voice. The antics brought a little smile to the old you kais face as he forged on towards the jeep.

Hitorii nearly got to the end of his solo ballad during their walk then his voice failed him. He reluctantly fell silent and settled with occasionally belting out lyrics every now and again only to fall silent one more. The old youkai gazed back to his younger companion and began to wonder how fit the whelp was for driving when he could not seem to put one foot in front of the other without wobbling. A terrible thought occurred to him then: if Hitorii could not drive that Jeep back, then he would have to operate that contraption himself. For the first time. In snow. Deep snow at that.

For a moment he wished that horses were still the favored means of transportation. But that was wishful thinking as horses liked Dog Demons even less than mortal dogs did. A fun fact he enjoyed playing on when he was younger. Nothing was more amusing than scaring the mounts of samurai to the four winds. But they still may have fared better with terrified mounts vs. a mechanical beast that he had no clue how to control. At the very least he would need some instruction. Unfortunately the only one who could give him that instruction was currently having a hard time remembering the lyrics to a song.

He gave a soft sigh as his golden eyes drew ahead of him towards the trees. It was all frustrating, he needed to talk to the whelp about what they learned but he was incapacitated. They needed to get back but now they would need to wait until the only one who could drive was sober enough to do it.

All the while this snow continued to fall.

He glared at the white stuff as if he could blame all his troubles on it. He gave another long winded sigh as he succumbed to the fate of having to sit in a cold car while the driver slept off the fifteen shots of Vodka he managed to consume. It was then a scent tickled his nose, the scent of fresh green sap. A scent he was all too frightfully familiar with as he came to a stop and looked around warily. Hitorri continued to bumble past him as he decided now was a good time to belt out another part of his doomed song. "Hitorii! Silence!" He hissed some and eyed the younger demon sternly.

Hitorii stopped and looked to the older demon drunkenly before something else caught his eye. He stared stupidly at a tree branch that was filled with fresh green leaves. All of which sported a thin dusting of snow. In a very puppy like way he held up a hand and pointed at it as he called out in a slurr. "Hey, Furhuuui hab you ever sheen treesh that shtay gween in wintersh?"

He was gazing the opposite direction as he tried to find the source of the smell when Hitorii mentioned something that made his blood run cold. A clawed hand reached for his sword hilt as he turned and spotted Hitorii reaching up to grab a leaf filled branch.

"DO NOT TOUCH THAT!" He called out in a roar he didn't intend, but the effect was what he desired as Hitorii flinched and stumbled back. It was not fast enough. The branch he had been pointing at lashed out for him and wrapped around his form before he could escape. Pulling the panicking whelp high into the air before the rest of the tree began to move. Bark split as the great floras limbs began to reform, the entire tree re-shaped itself into the form of a man roughly twelve feet high. His skin as pale as the moon light, a stark contrast against the deep green of foliage that covered him like clothing while a thick mess of moss hung from his face like a long beard.

The creature opened fiery green eyes as it took a lumbering step forward, it's long hair made of tangled moss and vines brushing over his shoulders. Hitorii was haplessly being waved around by the creature, the sudden surge of fear snapping the whelp out of his drunken haze as he yelped and stared, recognizing his attacker. His wide golden eyes shot to the old youkai as he called out in panic! "It's a Leshy! It's a forest spirit!"

It was a fae creature by his scent, the old youkai gazed at the towering tree man, calling out in a demanding tone as he drew his sword from the scabbard at his hip. " Green one, listen carefully for I must ask you this. That demon in your grasp means no harm, release him."

The Leshy didn't look like it was ready to comply just yet as it's glowing green eyes locked on the old youkai. The Fae rumbled something that was too garbled to be understood as it took a step towards the remaining dog. Swinging his captive around in the air as he went. Hitorii was not making it easy for the Leshy though as he struggled in the wooden creatures grasp.

"I regret to inform you I do not understand nor speak 'Tree'." He stated in a clear voice as he held the sword up before him. His other hand gripped the steel of the blade before slowly drawing along it. The swords biting edge cut into his palm and left a sheen of crimson along the weapons length. Blood that began to sizzle as it burned into the steel, infusing some his youki into it.

Drawing the weapon off to his side he gazed up calmly to the Leshy that lumbered towards him and called out once more. "Drop the whelp! This shall be the final request." The Fae answered with another growl of gibberish before it's body heaved, the sound of bark crackling as it violently swung it's tree-limb arm up and launched poor Hitorii high into the air. The old youkai frowned a little but made no move to save the young demon as he was sent high over the tree tops.

After all dog demons could fly couldn't they? Hitorri should be able to catch himself mid flight and float gracefully down to-*CRASH!-CRASH-THUD!*

...alright perhaps not.

He cringed when he heard the poor whelp slam back down to earth some where behind him, his golden eyes flicked back to the forest but saw nothing of his young friend. He briefly entertained the idea of abandoning this fight to take stock in Hitorii's condition when that Tree man suddenly growled something he could clearly understand.

"I know this blood smell...my forest knows this blood smell...how dare you...return to my wood...after you have murdered our elder...Hunter."

His grip on that blades hilt tightened and his whole body stiffened to that word. His mind picked over his memories, of the creatures he hunted down and killed. Did he slaughter forest spirits before? Yes, there was a creature humans often referred to as the 'Green Man' in error. In truth he was nothing more than a very old dryad who had a collection of equally old trees that spanned many lands. Each tree granted that Fae his power, each tree withered and died when they Dryad was slain.

It was not a kill without consequences either, after he slew that Fae he could feel each one of his trees fade away. It was a painfully slow process as it took months for the trees to dry up and die. Each one sapping all the warmth out of his body every time and nothing he did to combat it. Neither Fires heat or the insulation of blankets could warm his chilled blood. That was what it felt like to betray the forest and remove it's oldest denizen. He looked over to the Leshy. The Fae's fiery green eyes meeting his golden orbs as he flashed him a sad little smile. This one must have been born from one of the seedlings left behind by that ancient Dryad.

"You've made a terrible mistake." He growled lowly as his smile vanished and a stern look came over his face. Without warning he rushed for the tree with the blade held out. The Leshy reared it's large body up as it lifted both of it's thick arms over it's head before bringing them slamming down! The blade in the youkai's hand took on an eerie blue shimmer as he raised it. Bracing the back of the blade with his other hand as the weapon's biting edge met the oncoming first of the tree man. His knees buckling slightly on impact as the blade carved it's way through the wooden flesh of the Fae. Splitting one of the wooden limbs unevenly up nearly all it's length before he released the weapon and dove behind the Leshy.

The Leshy's cry of pain was nothing more than the groaning sound of living wood, though the Fae did stagger back as green goo spilled from the split limb. Giving him the opportunity to leap up onto his opponents bark covered back. His clawed hand grabbing a hold of the Leshy's hair of vines as he clamored up and raised his sword.

He didn't stop to think how the Leshy managed to speak in a tongue he understood.

He didn't stop to wonder how the Leshy found him in this enormous Russian forest.

He didn't stop to consider if this Leshy had anything to do with the missing ones they were searching for.

He never once thought something from his past would identify him... A foolish notion.

He silently hoped this was the only seedling that knew who he was.

He would not allow the Leshy to leave here alive.

That was all that mattered, kill this creature that knows too much and kill it swiftly! Silence it! Rational thinking had no place in this situation. The only answer was to slay it and it was that cold blooded intent that guided his sword.

He found a kink in the Leshy's bark covered skin and drove the sword through it. With the aid of the youki burning through the weapon the blade sunk deep into the Fae's body.

The Leshy by now was struggling to shake him off, but it's efforts were no stronger than a tree's branches swaying in the breeze. It's undamaged arm coming up to try and claw him off it's back next. The youkai violently twisted the blade and split the tough bark open. The Fae's flesh looked like the green insides of a plant and oozed a clear fluid that smelled of chlorophyll. Deep within this flesh though, he could feel the pulsing life force of this tree-born creature. As the Leshy's branches began to ensnare him he raised a clawed hand. His fingers held straight like a blade before he drove it into the tree man's wound.

If he had to describe what the Leshy's flesh felt like, the best comparison he could come up with would be a cucumber. The flesh was dense yet squishy, not to mention cold. The Fae gave another loud groan like the trunk of a tree being split apart as it's branches spasimed while wrapping around him. Any second he would be ripped off and sent flying if he was lucky, or sent in a back-breaking pile drive into the frozen ground if he was not lucky. He heaved his hand deeper into the Leshy's flesh in a desperate bid to find the source of the Fae's life. His fingertips brushed what felt like the stalk, a very slimy stalk and immediately wrapped around it!

At the same moment the Fae yanked the Hunter right off his back, aiding him in ripping that stalk clean out. The youkai gave another growl as he was hoisted in the air and held there, the tree man's entire body froze at that moment. In his hand the stalk pulsed with its own light. A soft green shimmer that seemed to radiate for a moment before it began to spread over his clawed hand. The stalk browning and turning into a slimy rotten thing in his hand as it's power was absorbed. Below him the Tree mans form began to dry out, the light green flesh of it's open wound browning like a cut apples.

By then the branch like fingers that wrapped around him were dry and brittle, he easily snapped them and kicked away from the dying Fae. His form landing lightly on the snow and quickly bounding back as the large tree came crashing down behind him. The youkai catching the last glow of his preys green eyes before they reverted back to empty knot holes.

Tossing the putrid mess that was one the life stalk of the tree man aside he made his way over to the fallen creatures head. Sinking down to a knee he placed a clawed hand over the creatures for head. His golden orbs closed a moment as the corps of the creature took on a soft white shimmer. From the gape of it's open mouth, surrounded by the browned and drying moss. Came a soft white wisp that curled through the air like smoke. As he drew his hand away the wisp caressed at his palm before fading. Absorbed into him just as the Fae's life essence was.

A twig snapped behind him, he stood up quickly and turned to face whoever was there. His narrow golden eyes locked on the form of a body moving through the forest. Seconds later Hitorii burst out of the snow covered shrubbery. The whelp looked frazzled, his clothing rumpled and a little mud covered. He made his way out into the clearing, looking relieved to see the old dog until he got close enough to feel the terrible chill of his aura. Digging his heels into the snow Hitorii warily eyed his older companion as he slowly lifted his mitten covered hands in surrender.

"Whoa there Furui, I come in peace." The whelp swallowed a little as he watched the old dog. His eyes daring to peek at the dead Leshy at his feet. The enemy was dead, but there was still this blood chilling tension lingering in the air. His eyes snapping back as the old youkai gave a soft sigh and calmed himself down. The frightening aura fading away after a few seconds. The old dog rubbed his face a moment as he composed himself.

"Are you alright Hitorii?" His tone was back to it's soft rumble that the whelp was more accustomed to. Though Hitorii still managed to flash him a skeptical look.

" I had twigs sticking into places that I really didn't want there. But other wise I am fine. I should be asking the same thing of you Inu Gami."

The old youkai breathed another sigh of relief, Hitorri's reaction meant that the whelp had not seen or heard anything he shouldn't have. He gave a little smile as he turned to reach for his blade. " I am fine Hitorii, I was just caught up in the moment. Forest Spirits are not easy enemies to defeat. He took a hold of the swords hilt then and tugged at the weapon. Only to have the warped blade snap in half. He flashed the broken half in his hand a sour look before tossing it aside, followed by the tacky looking scabbard.

Hitorri was still not convinced, although he smelled blood in the air he could not see a scratch on the old dog. Forest spirits were not easy to kill, but he managed to kill this one just fine. He shook his head a little then, seeing that the mystery surrounding this Inu Gami was only going to deepen more. The old youkai turned to him then and tilted his head a little. "It seems Hitorii that your little flight sobered you up, do you feel well enough to drive now?"

It was a hopeful question and one he was relieved to see the answer for as Hitorri looked over himself and nodded. There would be no crash course today for driving a Jeep. He smiled to his young companion as they continued on towards the vehicle. Hitorri musing some as he came along side of the old dog.

"Sooo you don't like driving then?"

"Actually I do not know how."

"That's kinda weird you know, most adults know how to drive."

"Most Inuyoukai know how to fly too…what is your excuse?"

"I know how to fly. I just seem to hit the ground faster when I fly while intoxicated."

The old youkai clapped a hand over his mouth and hid his chuckling with a cough. He flashed his flush-faced friend a side long look that betrayed his amusement. Poor pup. He knew he shouldn't laugh, after all he'd done crazier things while intoxicated. Like passing out while sitting up at an important meeting with the Dai Tengu that controlled the mountain range that bordered his lands. The wine served at that meeting was so potent yet so smooth on the tongue that he wasn't aware he was out cold until after he'd consumed two glasses.

Thankfully his son who was just entering his teenage years was with him and remembered everything that was discussed while he was out cold. He was also thankful that no one else noticed that he was currently in a 'the lights were on but no one was home" state. He remained sitting in his spot with his eyes wide open. Only Sesshoumaru caught on and waited till the meeting was adjourned before dumping a bucket of ice water over him.

Least all Hitorii managed this time was to fire his youki the wrong direction and nose dive back to the snow covered earth. The old dog smiled despite the whelps slightly annoyed look and remained silent as they walked back to the jeep.

…...

"To think we were stuck there for three hours listening to that old man

babble and he didn't know much more than we already did." Hitorii sighed some as he gripped the steering wheel with one hand and worked at the jeeps clutch with the other. The snow was deep on the rural road they traveled and the whelp had to skillfully control the Jeep as it bounced and slid it's way along. "Old Bahae sure liked to talk though, we learned everything we never cared to know about Bodark were wolves and their Wakalek counterparts." He idly commented before he looked up in his rear view mirror to gaze at the old youkai resting in the back seat. "Speaking of Wakalek, are you sure you want to do this?"

The Old youkai stared out through the window at the wintry landscape they passed by. His mind slowly picking over what little they learned from Old Bahae. The two dog demons had spent three hours listening to the old timers stories, often having to remind him to stay on the topic at hand. In the end they confirmed that the Bodark suspect the Kaerkiviche's have something to do with the Grand Marquees disappearance. The Kaerkiviche's were a small family of four that lived inside a rickety old shack isolated in the forest. The old youkai was mistakenly adopted by the two youngest boys and was living with them for a few weeks before he learned their daughter vanished. The only ones who knew of her fate was her Fiancé Andrick, who's father owned a mining company and Marchosias. A demon who was cursed by the Demon King Asmodeus. Both were also missing.

The old youkai was very glad his young companion had sobered up enough to talk to him about this. He gave a little shiver despite the high heat inside the jeep. The effects of the Leshy's death still plaguing him, it would be a while before the trees connected to the Fae died. Until then no matter what he tried he would not shake the terrible chill from his body. He tried to destract himself instead by repeating what they knew.

"Marchosias was exiled from the Demon Kings court and was cursed to remain in the form of a wolf. He can only break the curse if a human girl falls in love with him. One possibility is that Tanya did indeed fall in love with this demon and was spirited away. Leaving Andrick to either his doom or onto a hunt for the demon. The Kaerkiviche family has the most away in the town where the mining company Andrick's father owns wishes to drill. Could Andrick have intended to use Tanya to get the villages favor?"

All the theories began to make sense until the end,…all three were gone. Marchosias had no reason to hide, he was a demon of high caliber with a pack of were wolves that were not to be trifled with. But If Andrick was only interested in exploiting Tanya why did he suddenly disappear? Most humans knew better than to meddle in the affairs of demons. But still…all three were gone and the only ones left who had any information were the wolves and the Kaerkiviche family. Of which they planned to question next.

When Hitorii asked him that question about going back he couldn't help but smile a little. In his short time living with the Kaerkiviche's he discovered that they were a strange family but he never witnessed anything either from the family or the home that would prove they could handle a demon of Marchosias caliber. It disturbed him how the were wolves felt this bazaar little family was a threat to them.

What disturbed him most though was the fact the wolves have approached Mrs. Kaerkiviche (aka the Yeti woman to him) and questioned her. Breaking through the houses front door to reach her and the children inside. It also surprised Hitorii as he confessed to him on the way back to the jeep that Mr. Kaerkiviche ( aka the bearded man to him) never once mentioned that his family was cornered by the wolves. If the Bearded Man and Yeti Woman were withholding that important piece of information, they could know much more than they were letting on.

The old youkai looked over to the whelp as he flashed him a gentle smile, this would be his first time returning to the Kaerkiviche's since he'd been shot. The family knew him only as a large white dog they had abducted from the town streets, well...all but one of them. "Indeed Hitorii, it's too soon for me to appear as their pet. I am better off approaching them in my human form, besides Vaan knows the truth." His smile grew a little as Hitorii's brow arched, the youngest of the two boys living there happened to intrude on the youkai while he was making himself a meal in their kitchen. From that moment on the boy was convinced that he was a Wakalek (a benevolent kind of were wolf) sent there to help them fight the Bodark. Though the boy promised him not to tell anyone, he had a sneaky feeling that his elder brother by now knew about their pet dogs secrete.

From what he heard both boys were worried about him since the shooting and he really wished he could return to them in his canine form but it was simply too soon. The gun shot he suffered took out his eye, but thanks to his demonic healing and Hitorii's medical skill, the socket was fully restored. The eye would need a little more time as it was still very discolored and his vision was not fully restored. This much healing though was accomplished in a few days and would have been a dead give away to the Kaerkiviche's that he was not a normal dog. Since he had no desire of conducting this questioning while staring at the wrong

end of a rifle, he was left with no choice. As the Jeep rounded a snowy bend and bounced it's way up towards the Kaerkiviche's home he pulled a necklace from his pocket and carefully fastened it around his neck.

The blue crystal adorning the necklace was about a half inch long and wrapped in silvery wire. It shimmered softly as it caught the weak rays of the Russian sun while it's magic slowly washed over him. Wiping away his demonic features while it turned his hair to an inky black and changed his eye color from a molten gold to a vivid blue. He looked over in time to see the rickety shack that looked on the verge of collapsing in on itself if it were not for the wooden beams leaned against the sagging frame. His eyes lingering over the boarded up window that the alpha Bodark had dragged Van out of. As the Jeep drew closer he looked around for the evidence of the battle but by now the trampled and blood splattered snow was lost under a fresh blanket of white. In fact the entire scene looked perfectly normal...for a dilapidated house in the woods.

The Jeep pulled up beside the equally dilapidated truck that belongs to the family before Hitorii killed the engine. The young youkai looking back over to his companion as he smiled. " How does it feel to be home? Can't wait to see your 'grand kids' huh?" The old youkai was caught off guard with that, he knew it was a tease but he couldn't stop himself from flashing the younger demon a brief and unreadable look. He knew the whelp had no idea how his words effected him. He drew a slow breath and grabbed Hitorii's snow cap, pulling it down over his eyes as he gave a snort. While Hittorii yelped and fussed to fix his head cover the old youkai opened the Jeep door and stepped outside.

"Lets be off now 'Mr. H', we have a young lady to find after all." He smirked and shut the Jeep door as he started for the shack. The little smirk of amusement on his face though faded quickly as an all too familiar scent hit his nose. The coppery smell of human blood and with it, the scent of fresh green sap. He hastened his foot steps into a full out run, bracing his shoulder as he slammed through the door. The cottage shaking so violently it almost looked like it was about to topple over. Hitorri perked when he was the old demon running but quickly realized what was wrong as he chased after.

The whelp skid to a stop beside his friend and stared in horror, what should have been a kitchen was instead the sight of a vicious fight. The table was splintered, chairs broken everywhere, no piece of furniture was left intact and what was worse, blood splatter was everywhere. The old youkai quickly pushed his way through the debris and moved through the rest of the shack.

Why? What importance where the Kaerkiviche Family to the Fae? Were they attacked because of the Leshy's death? A deep breath gave him that answer, no…the blood smelled old. Days old. Then why? Why did the Fae attack?

"VAAN!" He shouted as looked around the ramshackle mess around him, the rest of the house was destroyed but lacked the blood that the kitchen bore. He first moved to the bed room of the boys. Finding it as destroyed as the rest of the house but also lacking any blood scent. Pushing from that he moved to the next room and opened the door. The youkai stopping in his tracks as he stared. Hitorri caught up with him then and peeked through the door way. Realizing he was staring at a girls room, with it's pink bed cover and what looked like a vanity. Though unlike the rest of the house the room was untouched, not a single item moved from it's spot.

Then he sensed it, the unmistakable tingle of Fae magic…

Chapter 17 - end.


	18. The Fae

Chapter 18 - The Fae.

Tanya's room looked like the average bed room of a typical teenage girl. She had a twin size bed with a pink comforter. Rugs with flower prints scattered over the rough wooden floor and her furniture included a vanity made up of a mirror and ornate looking boxes for jewelry and makeup set before a good sized round mirror. The room looked neat and tidy despite the fact that the teenage girl had been missing for quite some time. As the Inu No Taishou looked over the small room he wondered if the neatness was due to her parents maintaining some shred of hope that the young woman would some day sleep here once again?

Or perhaps something else was at work here, as it was the only untouched room in the otherwise destroyed house. It was also the only room that held the faint presence of Fae magic. Fae or faerie were creatures very attune to the earth and it's many elements, because of this they smelled very much like the element they were attuned to. This girls bed room possessed a smell of fresh greenery. It was a refreshing smell but very much out of place in a land that was currently in the clutches of winters death grip. A scent very similar to the one he detected at the outpost of the Bodark Werewolves and the Leshy that had attacked them on the way back.

"Hitorii I need you to search the house for anything made of Iron. I don't care what it is. The more solid the Iron the better for us." The old youkai asked of the younger dog demon behind him. Hitorri's golden eyes reluctantly gazed over at the mess of a house they were in. What ever attacked the Kaerkvich family left almost nothing unscathed. The younger dog demon made a complying if a little whine of a sound and set off to sift through the derbies for the old demons request. He shook his head a little, he knew he gave Hitorri a monumental task and sadly he had no faith that the whelp would find anything. But it kept Hitorii busy long enough to let him work. The old youkai stepped further into the room and reached for the pack at his side. Digging out a velvety satchel and loosening it's draw strings.

A set of antique looking glasses slid out onto the palm of his hand, a set of polished lenses clutched in the grasp of a slightly tarnished silver wire frame. He carefully unfolded the glasses and slipped them onto his face before taking a look around the room. These glasses that allowed him to read even the most ancient of written languages, but they also had another useful attribute. They allowed him to see the presence of magic or power. His eyes were soon drawn to the bed in the middle of the room as what looked like fumes rippled through the air around it. Or was it from under it?

Kicking a rug out of his way he sunk down to a knee and pushed the bed off to the side. He gazed down at what looked like typical worn and battered looking floor boards, watching quietly as the glasses allowed him to peer through the spell. Before his eyes the floor boards grew transparent before vanishing one by one to reveal a hole in the floor large enough for a creature to fit through. He took a moment to study it as the whelp returned to the bed room door.

"Furui I couldn't find anything made of iron inside the house, looks like the Fae were planning on attacking this place. Everything made of iron was removed or replaced, even the nails in the wall." Hitorii didn't look too surprised by his findings. Fae were weak to Iron. The metal contained some property in it that Faerie magic could not affect it. Nor could their magic protect the Faerie from it. So if Fae had planned to attack this house it made sense then that they would take precautionary measures to eliminate all the iron in it. " I did find something for you though," He paused when he noticed that the old youkai seemed more interested in the floor than him at the moment. He watched curiously as he reached a clawed hand through that same floor and arched his brows as the illusion shimmered away to reveal a large hole there.

Shuffling closer Hitorri crouched down by the other side of the hole and gazed in. Green ferns and other plants were growing where no sunlight could ever reach them. They clustered around the mouth of a tunnel that seemed to sink deep down into the earth, before being swallowed up in darkness. The two dog demons exchanged looks briefly, both acknowledging the scent wafting faintly from the tunnel. A scent of the two children and of human blood.

Hitorii rubbed the back of his head a moment as he mumbled softly. " I never thought about the Fae as suspects, none of the evidence we had pointed to them at all. Faeries now a days do not bother with humans, unless it's an unlucky hiker who took a wrong turn in the forest. The one time we managed to speak with them was disastrous. We made contact with a bunch of little sprites and all they chattered about was how old and valuable their forest was. "

Faeries of any kind were tricky creatures, they could not lie to you but they were experts at avoiding questions or even weaving the truth to sound like something else. They never forgot a promise or a due owed them and would rigidly keep to their own word. Those though were their 'innocent' qualities. The other known fact was that the Fae were protective of what belonged to them.

"We are still not sure why the Fae are involved, but I plan to find out." He tucked the satchel into his bag before he regarded the whelp across from him. Hitorii was not a fighter and although he had considerable power for his age it was all defensive youki. Which would do him little good here. He smiled to Hitorii then and asked gently. "Perhaps you should go back to Old Bahae, tell him what we found and work with him on investigating the Fae. Meanwhile I will enter this Faerie mound and slip into their domain to see what I can find out. "

Hitorii nodded a little with understanding before he perked a little with realization and quickly held up what looked like a long metal rod with a hook at the end. A crow bar. The old demon blinked a moment at the sight of the rusty looking thing and tilted his head. "I thought you said there was nothing iron inside the house."

"There isn't. I found this in the Kaerkvich's truck outside. That Ancient Relic is full of surprises."

It also sounded like a bomb going off on occasion. He was amazed that any use could have come from that loud, smelly and clunky jalopy out side. But it made some sense, there had to be some iron on that thing and the Fae could not dispose of the truck completely. Not without someone seeing the vehicle missing. He did though stop and wonder how effective a mere Crowbar would be as a weapon? He reached a clawed hand out though and accepted the offered item, considering that it was better than nothing really. Hitorii flashed him a smile then and got to his feet.

" Don't get yourself killed, old timer."

"Don't get yourself drunk again whelp, there are dangerous trees out there." The old youkai shot back at the whelp's tease and rolled his eyes. Scooting to the edge of the hole he didn't hesitate to hop down, his boots sinking down into the soft soil of the tunnel floor. Waiting there a few moments as he listened to the sound of the whelp's foot steps leaving the room before he continued down the tunnel way. Following the scent of human blood and the two young boys.

Although the deeper he trekked into the tunnel the more his ability to see deteriorated. Dog demons had night vision but even that would not work in absolute darkness. As if his inability to see where he was going was not bad enough, he was also moving down an increasingly narrowing tunnel. Something he realized when the top of his head grazed the ceiling. To confirm his suspicion he stretched out his arms, only to have the back of his hands hit the walls to either side of him. He was silently thankful that he was not claustrophobic, but as he continued to move on and the tunnel continued to narrow he began to reconsider.

Reduced to only his sense of smell and touch to guide him it was a terribly slow process trying to navigate. Soon he had to duck his head lest he smack it on the ceiling. So far all he could feel around him were soft dirt and stones. When your senses were this limited the mind tended to play tricks on you. You heard things, or felt things that were not real. An annoyance that was leaving him a little jumpy as he began to think about what would befall him if he were attacked. In such a constricted tunnel he was vulnerable. He couldn't even swing his weapon, if you could call a crowbar a weapon.

He pressed on regardless, though he could feel his patience quickly growing thin in the worsening conditions. Thoughts of what lay ahead began to plague his mind, did this tunnel shrink to nothing? What if something snuck up on him? Could he be walking into a trap? That last thought brought him to an abrupt stop, giving a long winded sigh that gave away how annoyed he was; at both himself and his situation. This was unlike him, being jumpy and paranoid in this tunnel just because it was dark and cramped. Completely forgetting how to think clearly. It was embarrassing!

Never had he feared for his well being like this before…but then again he'd not been on a rescue mission in a long time. He didn't particularly care if he perished in the Fae's underground lair. He knew what was going to happen to him. No, he feared what would happen to Vaan and his brother if he could not reach them. If he allowed the paranoia to consume him, then the children were doomed before he could even try to reach them. He quietly scolded himself, he may have had no idea how far he'd traveled down this cursed tunnel but he was handling himself very badly. He'd need to calm down and think of an easier way to travel down here, change tactics or perhaps, simply change forms? He took a moment to tuck the crowbar under his belt, then he sunk down to his knees and let his demonic power flare.

A glow of blue light illuminated the tunnel briefly and gave him a glimpse of what lay ahead before he transformed himself down to four paws. He raised his head gratefully, feeling the vertebra pop along his stiff neck before he shook off his white fur. Without wasting another moment he pressed on once more, having an easier time of it now that he was lower to the ground. He also had a better means of watching his step on the hazardously uneven ground. Carefully he placed one paw in front of the other as the soft soil of the tunnel floor became a harder packed earth. He flinched and growled as he felt something caress along his furry side. His nose pushing at what smelled like a root.

At first he dismissed it as nothing more than a harmless tree root that had burst into the tunnel, but as he ran into more he began to suspect something else. Each one of the roots were like skeletal fingers that raked at him as he pushed his way past. Perhaps a deterrent to keep the half hearted away? When the roots thickened to the point the had to climb over them to get past he began to wonder if the tunnel was choked shut by these? It was while he pondered this potential obstacle when something tried to curl around his back paw. Hurriedly he yanked his limb free before it could be ensnared. Only to feel the thick root he was standing on began to move as well.

He couldn't say the Fae magic was a surprise, it would make sense that they would leave something behind in the event their Faerie mounds entrance was discovered. But that did not make the situation any easier for him. All around him he could hear the crumbling of dirt as the roots came alive like wooden tendrils. His only advantage was the fact that these were made of wood and was just not as flexible or as quick as say…a green shoot would have been. He pressed through the writhing mess, silently hoping there was an end to this somewhere and that he was not just pushing himself into the heart of a nest filled with angry Fae.

As the thicket of roots became tighter packed still he began to fear for the worst. He had to bite down on a root that had succeeded in snaring him and was in the process of constricting the life out of him. As wood was crushed between his teeth he caught sight of a flicking light ahead. A small point of white in an otherwise all devouring darkness. Wriggling violently he freed himself of the root as he gazed back to confirm what he saw. A shimmering light near what he could guess was the floor of the tunnel. He had to reach that light.

The only problem was the dense mass of moving flora trying to squeeze him to death. It was a daunting obstacle but he stubbornly refused to be defeated by mere tree roots and pushed through as hard as he could. The worming tendrils raking him all over, tearing off a little fur in some places. But with determination he pressed on until another managed to ensnare both hind legs this time. He gave a snarl of frustration and rage, whirling himself around and clamping his vicious teeth on the root . Violently tearing it away from the tunnel wall with a hard yank. Ripping several others tangled along with it and sending them crashing down onto the floor, their movements ceasing altogether. A moment of relief coming over him as he realized that despite their unnatural movements, these things were still just plant life. If you cut them from their source then every part of it would die. With that knowledge in mind he switched from trying to avoid the snares to tearing them to pieces with his claws and teeth.

Unfortunately it was a time consuming process and he began to grow concerned that the point of light would vanish before he could fight his way to it. In his growing desperation he pushed harder to reach his goal, his teeth snapping through wooden tendrils while his claws shredded or even shattered others. When he finally broke free from the twisted mess of tree roots he made a break for the light. Idly wondering if this was indeed a light at the end of the tunnel or a cleaver little trap to lure victims to death with a false hope? His answer came as his legs were quickly swallowed up by thick mud!

He knew it was a foolish thing to do, running head long while throwing caution to the wind! He paid for this stupidity when he rushed right into a pit of mud that may have well been quick sand! He was sinking into it at an alarming rate. Pushing his thoughts over his terrible mistake aside he tried to turn himself around. Hoping he could climb out of this mess and reach the shore he jumped off of. But the more he struggled in the mud the more he sank, not to mention the faster he sank. The mud was so thick it created a suction that pulled him further when he kicked his legs. Yet the mud was still too thin to allow him to paddle through it. As the level of mud reached his neck he quit struggling and considered his options. If he had only had more youki he could simply fly out of this mess…but sadly his power was limited.

But there were other things he could do instead…

He pulled his limbs against him and curled himself up as much as he could. As his form sunk beneath the surface of the mud he focused on drawing his demonic aura in on himself. Concentrating it into a thick bubble around his canine form before he forced it to violently expand outward. Acting like a small blast that pushed hard against the mud and sent it splattering everywhere. Blasting open a large pocket in the mud that also caused him to fall. Extending his legs out he hoped to land on solid ground and use it to kick off of. With luck he could jump out of the mud and back onto the dry shore. As his paws hit hard packed soil he thought his plan would work…until the floor gave way under his feet. His eyes widening as he fell through the floor, the youkai desperately pawing and clawing at the edge of the crumbling ground. But his claws found no purchase and he was sent careening down into another chamber.

The first thing he noticed as he fell was that this room contained light, the second thing he noticed was that the floor was still 200 ft below and quickly rushing for him! Once more and quite hurriedly he gathered his youki around himself and pointed it downwards. It was not enough to let him fly, but he still could form a cushion of demonic energy that slowed his fall and soften his landing as he came down on all four paws. Right into a really large bush.

When one is free falling you do not get much of a chance to see what is around you. Your attention is understandably focused on trying to survive the fall not sight see. So he was a little surprised to land in shrubbery in an underground cavern. At least it looked like shrubbery at first, yet it didn't quite feel like any shrub he'd ever fallen into. Not that he had much time to inspect the scruffy plant as he scrambled to get away from the falling mud that came splattering down around him. As he reached a safe distance he stopped and took the opportunity to finally look around the area around him.

The underground cavern he landed in was massive, it could easily fit a small city within it. Along it's rocky walls and it's ceiling an eerie light illuminated , thanks to the wall hugging fungus that glowed there. Despite the lack of sun, this cavern contained a blanket of lush greenery. Soft grass covered the floor, along the ceiling moss and likens clung to the rocky face. The most impressive part was the was the lush forest that nearly filled the cavern. He stood there in awe for a moment as he took in the over whelming beauty until he began to notice a few things that were not quite right.

The grass beneath his paws felt more like a carpet of thick moss. On closer inspection the trees looked like large clusters of hanging moss and fungus perched on the ends of twisted roots. Many of these containing strings of glowing greenery that aided in illuminating the cavern. He realized then he was staring at a massive forest spawned by faerie magic. Then he spotted something in the heart of this mystical Fae wood. At the center of the mossy forest stood one tree that did actually look like a majestic oak unlike the rest. It's leaves could be clearly seen as it's thick branches reached for the ceiling of the cavern.

If he had the luxury to he would have appreciated this magic for the wonder that it was. But for him right now the fact that the contained the scent of Vaan and his brother along with human blood worried him. Flicking his furry ears back he began to track the scent through the lush underground terrain. As he entered the forest he began to realize there was more to it than he first thought. Pea pod like shapes hung from some of the mosses and some of the dangling likens were covered in what looked like a sticky substance.

He took great care to avoid the dripping goo, well aware of green Faerie's fondness for poisons and acids. He was stepping carefully around a fallen root that was glistening with a sickly sweet smelling sap when he heard the sounds of feet pounding on the ground. A furry ear perking up as he waited and listened, unsure of what to expect until he heard a familiar voice swearing in Russian. A minute later Mr. Kaerkvich, AKA the Bearded Man broke through the mess of hanging likens and came to a stop. Looking around wildly.

He looked like he'd been attacked by the very moss he was trying to avoid. His face, neck and hands bore criss crossing lines of welts that looked swollen and bubbling. Probably from poison. His clothing was torn and blood spotted here and there. His beard was bristled and sticking up in odd directions. But his beady eyes were still quite sharp as they lay on the muddy looking white dog. He raised a hand and pointed a finger at him as he gasped in Russian. "How -how could you have possibly…never mind. I don't want to know…I need to find my wife…my children."

The dog tilted his head a little, realizing that Old Bahae's spell laced Vodka was still working. He approached the exasperated man and gave a little bark to let him know he was with him. Before he put his nose to the ground to prove that he was searching and continued to track the scent of the children. Mr. Kaerkvich watched the dog walk past in bewilderment before following after. "Yes….yes….good dog. Find them for me. "

There was something a little odd about the bearded man, he swung his head to the side to look back at him as he followed. His injuries looked very painful yet he was not showing much in the way of pain. The wounds over his chest looked strange but with his rumpled winter coat he couldn't tell much more. Somehow he felt that if he walked up closer to investigate then the Bearded man would probably grow suspicious. He could only assume the drive to find his family was what kept Mr. Kaerkvich going. A drive he could very well understand. Gazing ahead once more he picked up the pace as the scent of the boys grew stronger.

If he remembered correctly, Fae valued children over adults. Children were still innocent and easily influenced. But the boys had already seen so much in their young lives, between the disappearance of their sister and the werewolves that hounded them almost every night. There was possibly little innocence left in them and they hopefully knew better than to believe a Faerie. His fear gained some merit a few moments later when he caught the scent of Vaan's blood. His pace suddenly picking up as he found himself not caring too much if Mr. Kaerkvich could keep up or not.

He didn't dare throw caution to the wind this time as he weaved around the forest's many dangers. What if the children had been wandering around and were caught? He knew they were wiser than most kids there age but the Fae were very different from were wolves. Here there was no telling if something you touched was poisonous or cursed. He also began to wonder where the Faeries themselves were. It was obviously a Fae wood but so far he'd not seen the denizens of this forest. They went through all this trouble to bring this family down here into their domain yet did not show themselves? Once more he began to wonder what role these Fae played in the disappearance of Tanya, her fiancée and the Demon Marchosias?

**BANG!**

The gun shot was louder than he remembered them ever being but its presence was unmistakable. His hind paws dug in as he came to a stop just as he felt blood splatter all over him from behind. He whirled on the sound only to realize the blood on his fur was not his own. The Bearded man stood there with his mouth agape, his hand clasping a sizable bullet hole going through his chest. He stared at the white dog as if waiting for him to do something about it. But the youkai was almost as stunned as he was. He moved towards the wounded man when more shots fired, each time blood splattered out of the thick mans chest. His form jerking from the impact of the bullets. Forcing the youkai to back up until a bullet nicked him in the leg.

As the body of the bearded man came crashing down onto the moss covered ground the youkai caught sight of the Yeti woman several yards behind him, holding a formidably large rifle in her hands. She looked terribly battered, bruises all over her face, one of her eyes was missing, only a bloody socket remaining where an eyeball had once been. Her lip was split and drooling blood and her skin bore slash marks that still wept more blood. Unlike the bearded man she showed pain in the way her body shivered and her skin paled. She aimed her rifle at the white dog next and narrowed her one good eye.

He slowly sunk himself down, his furry ears folding back as he readied himself to move the second she tried to pull the trigger. Golden orbs narrowing as his lip curled back to bare his fangs. He knew the woman was defending herself, she was probably delirious from the pain. But that didn't mean he was going to allow her to shoot him. If he had to he would bring her down and crush that damned rifle before he would suffer anymore bullets. His form tensed as he prepared himself for the attack, when a child's voice came screaming beside him.

"No Mama the Wakalek!"

A furry ear perked up a little as he heard a rustling through the mossy forest, before he knew it Vaan had broken his way through the enchanted greenery and threw himself on top of the white dog. The youkai forced to lay down on the ground to prevent the boy from tumbling off .

"Do not Vaan! Get away from that monster! "

"No Mama it's a Wakalek! I'm telling the truth! He'll show you!"

His golden eyed flicked back and forth between Vaan and the Yeti woman, in the meantime he began to wonder where Vaan's older brother was. The boys grip on his fur tightened as he looked to his mother defiantly. If he wanted to prove to his mother that he was not a threat he was going to need a little room. He slowly rose to a seat and nudged Vaan a little with his shoulder, his eyes locked on the woman with the gun. Silently hoping she was not driven mad already from pain and stress. Vaan complied by stepping back a little and reluctantly released his fur. Once freed of the child he let his youki flare around him, his body vanishing in the glow of blue light as he transformed back.

The Yeti woman kept her gun aimed at the dog, which wavered a moment later as the light faded and revealed a man sitting there instead. Bearing the crystal around his neck still he gazed at the severely injured woman with his deep blue eyes. The youkai waiting for her to acknowledge that he was not a threat even as Vaan's little hand took a hold of his coat sleeve.

"Mama, you see? He's a Wakalek."

He smiled a little, any other place and he would have corrected the child on what he was, but this time he left it alone. If believing he was a benevolent version of the werewolf helped calm the Yeti woman down then it was a misunderstanding worth keeping. He slowly raised his clawed hand as he called out to the woman. "Excuse me Madam, Vaan is right, I mean you no harm. Please lower your weapon."

The Yeti woman glared at him without saying a word, he began to wonder if the vodka spell from Old Bahae had worn off. Luckily for him that proved to not be the case, after a few very tense moments the woman finally let the weapon lower. She suddenly looked very tired and the youkai could not blame her. He rose to his feet then and moved towards her. His gaze dropping to Mr. Kaerkvich who was face down in a pool of blood. He needed to know what was going on here! He reached her side as she began to sink to the ground. The youkai grabbing her arm and bracing her on her feet as he looked to Vaan.

"Vaan where is your brother?"

The little boy clung to his sleeve as if he feared the youkai would run away at any moment. He took a moment to look at the child who was also bearing many small wounds from his ordeal. All were weeping blood though not as bad as the Yeti woman's injuries. He slowly sunk the woman down onto the mossy ground as he inspected her wounds and waited for some answers.

"Bran is sick, he can't walk." Vaan confessed a moment later before looking back guiltily to where he left his brother. The youkai frowned a little as he pulled off his own coat and tossed it to Vaan.

"Here, take this back to your brother and wrap it around him, I'll come get him after I tend to your mother." He gave the instruction in a soft tone as Vaan caught the coat and nodded, turning to run back towards the forest where he left his older brother. Once he was alone his gaze returned back to the Yeti woman who was watching her son depart with an eye that was misted with pain. He reached for her coat and began to unbutton it as he tried to gently persuade her to talk.

"Please Madam…is there anything you can tell me? How did you end up here?"

"He brought us here..."

Her voice was strained when she spoke and he began to worry as he pulled the layers of her winter coat off. More blood oozing free as he dug through and persisted. "Who Brought you here? "

"He said he knew were Tanya was..."

"Who Madam? Who brought you down her-" He lost track of what he was saying, his blue eyes widening when the last layer of her coat was pulled away. What he saw was the stuff of nightmares. Her shirt was clinging to her skin but it was not enough to hide the terrible gang green that had turned everything from her chest down into a terribly dark color. In the center of her abdomen was a puncture about a half inch wide that looked like a monstrous sting. She was poisoned and rotting from the inside out, she had to have been in immense pain yet somehow she managed to remain with her children and defend them till the end. An expression of sorrow came over his face as he realized then.

There was nothing he could do for her.

Giving a soft sigh he slowly began to close her coat back up, he foolishly wished Hitorii was here but knew even his medical skill could not save her life. He pushed back his emotions, now was not the time to feel useless, as he gazed back into her face, her eyes already having a distant gaze to them. She had little time and he still had no answers. "Please Madam, I want to save your boys and Tanya but I need you to tell me what you know."

The Yeti woman slowly opened her mouth, her lips moved but no sound came from it. She drew a labored breath and licked her lips, trying once more. "He said...the faeries took Tanya..." her eyes slowly began to close as he sucked in another labored lung full of air. "He said we had to...had to go..." She was slipping away, her voice growing so soft with her weakness that he had to lean down closer to hear her. " He...he...told us...my ..."

He watched helplessly as she drew her last breath and settled into the peacefulness of death. Leaving him with little information and the task of bringing her children back out of this Fae domain. He reached down to draw her hands over her chest before he gathered up her rifle. Whispering softly to her as he reached for her ammo purse. "I wish you could have told me who brought you down here Mrs. Kaerkvich."

" I did. "

The voice whispered from behind him, it sounded ancient and deceptively soft, but the sounds of crackling bark and creaking wood told him that was no friendly voice. He dropped the rifle as something speared him from behind and burst out through his chest. He gave out a gasp as air was forced out of his punctured lung. He gazed down to see a long, curving and slender barb about a half inch in diameter protruding out of his chest. His clawed hands came up to grip the thing as two more came down from above him and tore into his chest. The youkai giving a snarl of pain as he immediately snapped the first barb, realizing that was a bad idea as he watched sap dribble from the broken end and bubble as it began to eat through his sweater.

The barbs sunk deeper into him before he was hoisted up off the ground and drawn a good ten feet into the air. His gaze flicking down to the ground where he expected to see the Fae attacking him and hissed a curse under his breath when his eyes lay on the Bearded man. Or perhaps at one point it had been Mr. Kaerkvich. The pudgy, short, balding man was gone and in it's place looked like a tangle of vines woven into a powerfully muscled body that still bore the scraps of clothing from his host body. His face resembled a very old mans, the wrinkles running over it looked like the cracks one would see on tree bark. With a long beard that stretched down nearly the entire Fae's height of fifteen feet.

It's flaming green eyes locked on the youkai's as the youki he began to raise around him shifted the blue hue of his eyes to molten gold. He overcame his pain a moment later as his lips curled into a nasty, fang baring smile. " I see, here you had me fooled all this time. But tell me, what in the seven hells are you after that it was worth destroying this family?"

The Fae's body gently swayed back and forth like a tree bending to the will of a summer breeze, while more of those vine like tendrils armed with wicked barbs reached for him. " You had me fooled too, here I thought you were a strange dog when I first saw you on that train. Such power contained within, such strange power." The Fae answered in his deceptively soft tone. "Not a Wakalek but not a Bodark either, no...I knew you were not in league with the wolves when the Alpha I summoned to the house did not recognize you."

He clenched his teeth as a growl bubbled in his throat. This thing knew what the vet was and purposely called him to check on his injuries, the twice damned retch! He reached up to grab the other barbs that hooked him like a fish and started to pull on them as the Fae continued.

"You did me a great service when you killed that alpha, the wolves were thrown into chaos after. Every single one of them stung by the defeat of one of their strongest by a mere dog. Now with both you and this human family missing, the wolves will turn their hatred on the town. When the streets run red with blood, the humans and their drills will turn away from my domain."

Another barb snapped and more of that acid like sap dribbled down to catch the toe of his boot but he continued trying to pry himself free as more of the barbs began to stab at him. His golden eyes glaring at the Fae as he drew all the ends of this mystery together. The Fae were protecting their forest from the Mining company at the cost of many innocent lives. Another growl rose in his throat as he glared at the Fae. "Where are Tanya and the others?"

The Fae's tactic of simply spearing him through abruptly changed as the barbs stabbed him over his shoulder and down his back. Each one delivering a payload of the same acid that no doubt devoured the Yeti woman from the inside out. The Fae waiting for the youkai's beastly sounding snarl of pain to subside before he answered. " They are of no more use to us, nor are they of any concern for you. I believe I have sated your hunger for answers dog, not that it would do you any good now."

They were alive then. For now anyway, he'd need to reach them before that changed. He reached down to the crowbar at his side and gripping it tightly with one hand slashed at the barbs. That rusted and slightly warped crowbar was made of iron and that alone allowed it to smash it's way through the vine like tendrils with easy. It surprised the youkai who had been tearing at those same vines with some effort using his bare hands before. The Fae on the other hand was even more so as it immediately retracted it's barb ended vines from the youkai's body. Sending him falling over ten feet to crash on the mossy ground below. The blow did him no favors as the severed barbs already buried in him tore open his wounds more after landing on them.

Rolling to his feet he took a moment to pry the wicked things from his flesh as waves of pain washed over him from the venom's effects. His golden eyes narrowed on the Fae as he raised that crowbar the same way he would raise a blade. The Fae gave a sound that he could only guess was a howl, it sounded more like the groan of a thick limb that was caught in the winds of a hurricane. It's fiery green eyes turning back to the youkai as a shimmer of green began to emit from his body. All around him the Fae wood began to respond as giant roots began to slowly move and the thundering footsteps echoed around the youkai. After a moment several Leshy stepped out of the forest and surrounded him. The youkai calmly looking over each of the "tree men" as they lumbered towards him.

This was going to be one hell of a fight.

Chapter 18 - End.


	19. Green and Red

_Authors Note: I first want to apologize for taking so long this time. I am currently working on a cosplay which is eating up much of my home time. Also this chapter posed an interesting challenge as I was not satisfied cutting it off at the usual length. So this time the chapter is nearly double the size. Because of this I wont be posting again until early June. Again I am sorry about the delay and I want to thank all my readers for being patient with me._

_EDIT: 6/23 - I re-edited the chapter to fix a lot of mistakes and try to improve the flow of story telling. I seem to have been in a Role Play state of mind when I wrote this the first time. _

_^_^; sorry about that! _

Chapter 19 - Green and Red.

The Leshy was often mistaken for the Green Man of mythology, standing nearly ten feet tall they looked like a tree twisted and warped into the shape of an old man. Possessing hair and a beard made of dangling moss and skin of rough bark. They were kindred spirits of the forest, protecting their wooded homes from danger as each Leshy's power was drawn from a living tree. The more ancient the Leshy, the more trees they had feeding their strength. Normally these tree men were not inclined to violence, employing other measures to confuse or frighten away an enemy. But when they did fight they used their size and their club like fists to crush their opponents. These Fae were a formidable foe and here the Youkai was armed only with an old iron crowbar to battle them with.

This was not looking good.

The moss covered ground trembled under the foot falls of the large tree-men, five Leshy in all emerged from the magical Faerie Wood around him. Despite the dire turn of events though, he did not dare lose track of the Bearded Man...or what was once the Bearded Man. All that was left off Mr. Kaerkvich was little more than a mess of shredded clothes cast everywhere. In his place stood a Fae monster that towered nearly twenty feet high. He possessed some similarities to the Leshy but unlike the tree men, this Fae's body encompassed more green plant life in the form of vines, dark leaves and even a few tiny blossoms. Unlike the Leshy, this Fae held a commanding presence and an aura of ancient magic around him as well as a set of fiery green eyes that burned brighter than the rest.

This was quite possibly a Fae Lord, or a Fae that was very close in rank to a Grey Lord. Regardless this Fae held all the answers. To Tanya and her Fiancé's disappearance, to the fate of the Demon Marchosias and to the terrible misfortune to befall the Kaerkvich family. He did not want to allow this monster to get away. Though as the first Leshy swung it's massive fist at him, he knew he had little choice. Five Tree-men stood between him and this Fae. He kicked off the ground to leap back just as the Leshy struck the ground he'd been standing on. It's huge fist leaving a frighteningly large and deep crater in it's wake. Giving him a good idea of how strong these monsters were. Hitting the ground running he drew the crowbar from his belt. The bar itself was not much but it was made of iron, the only metal the Faerie were mysteriously vulnerable against.

He had only managed a few strides though before flash of horrible pain shot through his body, pain so intense he nearly stumbled in its wake. The wounds left by the poisoned barbs burned terribly and he could feel one leg growing numb even while he used it. Reminding him of the damage the Fae had already caused him as he was forced to slow down. In the back of his mind he knew this exertion was circulating the Fae's deadly poison faster through his veins. If he was not careful his demonic healing would become over taxed and he too would suffer the same necrosis that took the Yeti woman's life. His only hope was that his demonic healing would fight it long enough to allow him to help the children escape from here. Until then he had to measure his steps and slow down.

Much to his relief, the Leshy perusing him were rather slow moving anyway. The Tree-men lumbered after him by swaying their bodies back and forth in order to lift their root-shaped feet. He was poisoned, but he could still move faster than these over sized shrubs. This was possibly his greatest advantage and a long overdue change of luck in his favor. He charged towards one Leshy that was directly in his path, its club like fists raised high in the air as the tree-man tried to time his strike. The youkai would test that timing as he used his own youki in a burst of speed at the last possible moment. That crowbar raised to shoulder height as he closed in and drove the chisel end right into the Leshy's belly. Losing his balance for a moment as the shock from the impact of the Leshy's fists striking the ground nearly knocked him off his feet.

Another frightening warning of the Tree man's strength.

Unfortunately for the Leshy the strike left the creature's form doubled over, it's belly vulnerable to the youkai who wasted not a moment to strike back! Regaining his footing he grabbed the crowbar that was still sunk into the Leshy's bark like skin and gave it a strong tug. The bark split along the grain like fire wood under the blow of an ax. A loud groan of pain rumbled from the creature. It's leaves quivering as a flood of green and red goo spilled out of the split skin in slimy globs.

He gripped that old crowbar like his life depended on it and pried it free the next moment. The Leshy's body swooning from the mortal injury. Fearing the tree would collapse on top of him at any moment, the youkai quickly maneuvered his way out from under it. Only to retreat back under the injured creature when another Leshy closed in and slammed it's huge hand down onto the earth, missing him by a few inches. The force of the blow both blasting him backwards and sending the wounded Leshy teetering over.

Only a desperate roll spared him from being caught under the falling tree man, it's body hitting the ground hard enough to cause a small earthquake. Adding to the tremors that were already shaking the place up, no thanks to the remaining Leshy chasing after him. Stumbling back to his feet he vaulted onto the downed form of his wounded enemy and kicked off the tree-mans shoulder. Clutching the crowbar over his head like a sword he came bearing down on the attacking Leshy. Bringing the crowbar down hard over the monsters head once he hit the creatures. The Leshy's skull splitting like a melon as the bar sunk in deep enough to became lodged within. Leaving the youkai dangling from the other end as his enemy reeled and thrashed! Unwilling to abandon his only weapon he planted a boot against the Leshy's shattered forehead and gave a brutally strong tug. Prying the crowbar slowly out of the creatures skull. His effort becoming more urgent as he felt the large body under him beginning to teeter, threatening to fall over at any moment.

A dark shape caught the corner of his eye and he looked up in time to see a massive stone flying right for him. For a moment he stared at it, amazed that these creatures were strong enough to heave boulders, yet at the same time he noticed that their aim was terrible. That hurled stone struck the youkai a glancing blow a continued on to hit his dying opponent squarely in the skull. Splintering the tree-man's head even more. Barely hit the blow was still hard enough to send him flying off his enemy. His body sailing a good distance before hitting the ground hard enough to plow up the moss. It was a hard landing that left him lying there limp with his maw agape. Hard enough to violently force the breath out of him and only after a few seconds of struggle could he manage to draw a gulp of air into his pierced lungs.

With a soft groan his head rolled to the side while stars danced before his eyes. Beyond the flickering points of light a large moving shape managed to catch his attention. It took his bleary vision a few seconds to focus but what he finally saw filled him with dread. The Giant Fae was moving away from the battle scene and into the woods. Fear for the children suddenly gripped him and he began to struggle back to his feet when a dark shadow abruptly fell over him. He caught a glimpse of the giant fists bearing down on him, his body reacting instinctively to roll out of creature's reach. Saving him from a crushing death as the Leshy's fists missed him by mere inches. The shock wave from the blow was still intense enough that it practically launched the Youkai into the air along with some debris.

The sudden flight did not catch him off guard though and his body twisted mid air to right him before landing lightly on his feet. A hand still clutched around a now slightly bent crowbar. His golden eyes locked on his attacker and he immediately broke into a run towards the Leshy. His wounds aching mercilessly as he bound up onto the large clenched fists while they were still buried in the crater.

Sprinting up the Leshy's arm he lashed out with the crowbar and sunk the hooked end deep into the socket of that fiery green eye. Vaulting over a broad shoulder and onto the Tree-Man's back he used the momentum of his jump to jerk the moss covered head back violently. The youkai gripped the end of the crowbar tightly with both hands and planted his feet on the bark-skinned back, throwing all his muscle into a strong pull. His victims head twisting unnaturally around, giving off a terrible sounding series of pops and snaps that sounded very much like a green branch being twisted off a tree trunk. Which was eventually what he was trying to do to this monster's head and just like a green branch it was being stubborn about coming off. His golden eyes narrowed with determination as he prepared himself to deliver another ruthless pull when a scream erupted from somewhere in the woods.

Vaan. That was Vaan's scream. His blood ran cold from that scream, cold enough to dowse the fires of his murderous rage that burned within him. Forgetting about his opponent he eased the pressure on his victim's skull as his attention was drawn to the forest. A terrible realization sinking in, that the giant Fae had left the battle to his Fae minions, leaving him to find the children hidden in the...

**SLAM!**

The blow hit him hard. Very hard. He wasn't even aware how badly he'd been struck until his body smashed through the center of one of those magical trees. His vision flickered a few times as he struggled to remain conscious; gasping desperately to draw air into lungs that didn't want to respond. He couldn't feel any pain at the moment but the warmth that was oozing down his face told him that blow did serious damage. After a few seconds of struggling, air finally filled his lungs and pain started to well in the back of his skull. He prided himself in having a hard head but he felt like this time he wasn't so lucky. Through the haze of his barely clinging consciousness he heard Vaan's scream once again, more shrill than before, spurring him to action. The blow had ripped the crowbar out of his hand but at the moment he did not have the time to search for it.

He pushed himself back to his feet and forced his limbs to work, barely aware of the Leshy closing in beside him, it's massive club-like hand coming down to finish him. He avoided being smashed into the ground with a quickly executed lunge, counting on his own youki to propel him out of harms way. Once his feet hit the ground he took off running, charging his way into the forest. The tips of his clawed fingers glowing eerily as he drew his hand in a sweeping motion, unleashing several blades of youki to hack down the poisonous lichens and hanging moss in his path. Another scream rose from the forest before him, though this time it was not Vaan's. No doubt the older brother Bran had woken up, he hoped the boys were fleeing right now from the Fae but he feared he was wrong. He knew that Bran had also fallen victim to the poisoned forest around them and according to Vaan could not walk. He grit his teeth and pushed himself faster through the forest, determined to reach the boys in time.

He burst into a clearing in time to witness Bran caught in the vine like tendrils of the Giant Fae and hoisted in the air. Vaan was trying to escape the tendrils that were darting for him by racing around the trunk of a tree. His little face was red from tears and his eyes wide in terror, the child struggled to worm his way out of the Fae's grasp while his brother cried helplessly in the vines clutches. The youkai sucked in a deep breath and unleashed a roar that sounded like it rose from a monster ten times his size. The roaring having the desired effect as the giant Fae's attention was instantly drawn away from the fleeing child.

A sweep of his clawed hand unleashed another volley of claw blades slicing into the Fae's body of woven vines and greenery. It recoiled back from the impact and gave an eardrum splitting bellow of its own and returned fire with more of it's spearing barbed vines. Forcing him to twist, dive and roll, sometimes remaining on all fours to desperately maneuver out of the barbs' path. All while closing in on the Fae monster. It was ungraceful to say the least but with broken bones crackling and poisoned blood slow to respond it was the best he could manage. Yet it worked, his relentless advance forced his opponent back on his heels. The forest floor was trembling as the Giant Fae tried to retreat from his faster opponent. The once Daiyoukai though refused to allow this monster to escape, he closed in and lashed out with a clawed hand bathed in youki. The blades of demonic power aimed for the vines that surrounded Bran. Slicing the bound child free from the Fae's grasp and shredding other greenery before it could try to recapture him.

Bran gave a terrified scream as he free fell several feet before the youkai's arms closed around him. He landed hard on the moss covered ground and stumbled a bit in an effort to avoid another barbed vine plunging for him but managed to get back to his feet. His golden eyes scanning the area hurriedly for Vaan. As if on queue, the child scrambled out from behind a tree and waved frantically towards him. He failed to notice the other barb until it raked over the his back, knocking him off his feet and skidding on his knees. The terribly sharp thing carved a long wound across his back, unleashing a white hot pain followed by a terrible sizzle of poison. He gave a fang baring snarl of pain mixed with frustration as he slid to a stop, he needed to get away from this monster before it's venom overwhelmed his demonic blood. He struggled back to his feet to flee before more of those nasty things could reach him when he heard Vaan's voice rising to a shrill level.

"Wakalek! Over here! " The child waved his hands furiously to get the youkai's attention, unfortunately he was also drawing the attention of the furious Fae. The giant beast lumbered towards the oblivious child with murderous intent. A last good push of youki got the demon moving once more, hitting the ground in an all out sprint as he held out an arm ready to snatch Vaan. But the boy no sooner saw him then turned and began to run himself! The child weaving through a thicket of hanging moss before vanishing despite the youkai's warning snarl.

"VAAN NO!" He feared the moss was poisoned just like everything else around here and the child just brushed his way through! Gritting his fanged teeth he followed closely behind the youngest boy fully intending to snatch him up and take off running. What he didn't intend to do was fall through a 4ft wide hole in the side of a mound. The draping moss was dry to the touch but what little relief he felt was lost when he realized they were in fact a curtain hiding the entrance to a small cave. He stumbled right down into the dark depths and felt his ankle pop in a way he knew would cause him trouble later. The floor of the cave was covered in a spongy dirt which made for poor traction. The ceiling was a little on the low side and the crown of his head hit it a couple of times before he realized he needed to duck. In all he staggered awkwardly to a stop as he bit his lower lip to stem off the flood of foul curses threatening to spill out.

His temper was still boiling hot and got the better of him for a moment as he sucked in a breath through his still clenched teeth and allowed a growl to rumble as he called the boys name. "Vaan!" His tone sounding so angry that the boy in his arms looked up worriedly in response. He gazed down to Bran's frightened face a moment and the heat of his anger faded some. The eldest boy looked very sick, bright red welts that looked like jellyfish stings streaked over the pale skin of his face and neck, weeping an ugly looking puss. He must have run head first into the poisonous hanging moss. The last of his anger was released with a sigh as he sunk down to a knee and lowered Bran to the floor. The light was dim but enough to allow him to tear through the vines that still ensnared the child.

As he gently untangled Bran a greenish light from deeper within the cave caught his attention, looking up he spotted Vaan approaching with what he at first thought was an odd torch. But turned out in reality to be a stack of glowing mushrooms speared on a stick. Vaan had a smile on his face when he laid eyes on the youkai but that smile faded when he realized they were short two people. "Wakalek, where is Mama and Papa?"

That one question for only containing six words to it, carried with it such an intense weight. He felt that he would rather face the barbs of that Fae than answer that question. How do you gently break the news to a child that their father was a monster and their mother was murdered by that monster? He bought himself a little time to think of the answer as he searched his sweater for a clean spot to tear off and use as a rag on Bran's feverish skin. He humored the small hope that Vaan would be distracted by his sick brother and forget his question. But when he looked up and Saw Vaan still standing there, staring at him with his unwavering young eyes he knew there was no escape.

"Gone." He whispered softly to the boys as he dabbed the torn piece of clothing over Bran's sweat slicked face. Repeating it a little louder when he mustered enough courage. "Both are gone. I'm sorry." He kept his eyes averted as Vaan slowly approached, unwilling to see the look on the younger boy's face. Already he could smell his tears, a scent that almost obscured the faint smell of wolf that clung to him. Wait...wolf? He paused in his efforts and sniffed at the air, his gaze drifting to the child beside him. Vaan was staring down at his brother, who was at the moment his only remaining family, while tears rolled down his dirt covered cheeks. The boy did not look like he had been attacked by wolves. Yet the scent of Wolf was wafting off this boy.

"Vaan...where were you just a moment ago?"

His tone was gentle, the child just learned that his parents were dead. He almost didn't expect an answer from the traumatized boy. Vaan took a little time to gather himself, but finally he looked up to him and brought a sleeve up to rub at his eyes as he answered. Grief causing his voice to warble softly. " Vaan goes down the cave, find glowing mushrooms near door."

A door. So this wasn't a normal cave then. The floor began to tremble in a familiar way, the youkai threw a glance over his shoulder to the cave entrance where he suspected the giant Fae was searching for them. He hated to do this to the children but their time for grieving was over, he gently picked Bran up into his as he addressed the younger boy. "We need to go Vaan before that monster finds us here. Show me where the door is." The young boy gave another sniffle and wiped his nose on his sleeve before nodding somberly. Holding his glowing mushroom torch high to light the way, he started for the throat of the cave. The youkai watching his head this time as he rose to his feet and followed.

Within his first step he began to limp. In the short amount of time he was down on his knees the adrenalin had subsided somewhat and the pain of his injuries had intensified. His leg though felt less like lead as he hobbled on it, his demonic healing working hard to neutralize the faerie poison. Even his back that had been recently cut and splashed in that cursed poison did not feel so bad at the moment. He was bloodied and battered but could walk for now. The question floating through his mind though was how far he could go with the next fight? Every Faerie monster was probably on the hunt for them. He could safely assume they were searching every inch of this cavern right now for any sign of their prey. It was only a matter of time.

He pushed that thought to the back of his mind as he followed Vaan down the tunnel, the mushrooms surprisingly bright enough to illuminate the path ahead of them quite well. They didn't need to travel far though, before he saw a brighter glow at the end of the tunnel. A glow that intensified the closer they came. The source of the light being a large patch of white mushrooms that clung to the tunnel walls and ceiling. At the center of the fungal semi circle was a wooden door with a hemp rope latch. Vaan made his way up to the door and reached for the rope latch when a growl from the youkai behind him caused the child to freeze in his tracks.

"Vaan, do not carelessly touch anything down here. Faeries are tricky creatures." He warned the child as he moved up to the door and held a hand out near it. The wood looked very old and decayed but he did not see the shimmer of poison nor feel a tingle of magic as he drew his hand slowly over it and towards the hemp rope. His suspicion though was not abated and he cast Vaan a side long glance that warned the child to back off to a safe distance. Turning himself so that Bran was sheltered in his arm he grasped the rope and cautiously pulled the door open.

The old wooden thing resisted at first, then opened with a loud groan as the damp and decaying hinges protested. The sound grated at his nerves but thankfully that was the worst it could do. Breathing a sigh of relief he held a hand out to Vaan warning him silently to wait as he stepped through the door way first. The mushrooms light spilled into what looked like a large underground chamber. The floor here was made of stone, the walls lined with tree roots that twisted and tangled to form items similar to book cases and tables. Scattered among these was a host of items, from rolled up scrolls to sparkling gem stones. Along with a host of human items like tea cups and boots. Items stolen from homes or found in the forest by mischievous faeries. In all it was a room filled with curiosities as well as the smell of wolves and humans.

Waving an all-clear to the child behind him he made his way into the room, Vaan's mushroom torch chasing away the shadows and relieving more human items. Clothing was piled against the wall, a cream and blue colored shirt laying on top of it all looked very familiar. As he stopped to study the mess Vaan peeked past his legs and brightened little " Heeey! That is Andrick's shirt!" Vaan scurried from around him and hurried to the clothing, grabbing the shirt to hold up only to notice more clothing. Dropping the garment aside he pulled out a brown fedora hat and held it up as he exclaimed." Hey! This is Papa's hat! Why do the faeries have Papas hat?"

That question hung in the air unanswered as he slowly gazed around the chamber, making a mental note of all the human items scattered around. Thinking back to the Bearded man, who always smelled human despite being a Fae. Did the Faeries have something that would hide a creatures scent? He wouldn't have thought twice about the scent of unwashed clothes, human hygiene varied greatly from place to place. His eyes wandered back to the shirt Vaan tossed aside. Was Andrick also a Fae all this time?

Vaan, in his curiosity, found more items piled near the entrance of another tunnel, making his way over he began to dig out boots, gloves and other accessories when something deep within the tunnel he was near rumbled like thunder. Causing the room to tremble seconds before the tunnel belched a thick cloud of dust. Knocking a yelping Vaan over and sending him scrambling back towards the youkai. He raised a sweater sleeve to cover his nose while turning to shield Bran from the flying dirt. Golden orbs narrowing as cloud carried with it the heavy scent of wolf. The source of the scent, the beast itself had to be somewhere down this tunnel.

His thoughts though were interrupted when he realized the little boy in his arms was beginning to burn up with fever. An alarmed look came over him as he gazed to the child's reddened face, with sweat pouring down. Deep in his heart the terrible truth was undeniable, time was running out for Bran. This boy would die soon if he did not find a cure soon, a task that was impossible in these faerie made tunnels. Yet he would not give up. The room held a multitude of things but it did not hold anything of use for a poisoned child. For now it seemed they were well out of reach of the giant Fae's vines down here and there was a potential threat lurking down the only other exit. The situation left him with little choice. "Vaan I want you to stay here with your brother. I will collect you as soon as I find out what is down there." He quickly instructed a bewildered looking Vaan as he made his way to a pile of clothing and gently set Bran down on it. Vaan shuffled over to his sibling's side as he watched the youkai move to the door. Grabbing the outside rope latch and tearing it off before using the inside latch to pull the door closed.

A clawed hand reached for the pack tied to his belt. After a few seconds of digging he produced a small black emblem of an eye set against a rune. A piece kept from his broken armor that currently sat in a box at a Tibetan temple. Normally this emblem would be mounted on his bracer on the back of his hand. Since it needed contact with his skin in order to allow him to use it's power. He tucked the emblem in his palm before reaching up and pressing his hand against the door. The dark magic that welled from the emblem chilled his skin as it charged. Around his fingers thin lines of black shimmered. Crawling over the decayed would, barely noticeable unless they caught the light and shimmered like freshly applied ink. As the chill subsided he drew his hand away and inspected the rune scribed into the door. Rumbling in approval. "This should slow the faeries down."

Replacing the emblem back in the bag he started for the tunnel entrance, yet didn't quite make it there. He stopped mid step when he felt eyes on him. Golden orbs settled on Vaan who was still staring at him, a look of worry on his small face. He flashed the boy a reassuring smile before offering a few soothing words. "Do not fear, I will come back to get you both no matter what happens down here." It was an attempt and he had to admit it was not a good one. Yet it did have a small impact as Vaan slowly nodded and sat down beside his sick brother. Using his fathers hat to fan the elder boy's feverish face. He would come back for them, he would get them out of here. Those were the words he repeated to himself silently as he moved into the darkness of the tunnel.

The tunnel felt like it was drilled through solid rock, the floor and walls were rather smooth and the tunnel itself felt wide enough to allow the youkai to comfortably stretch out. No more ducking down to avoid bumping his head, a great relief for him really. The little comfort he found in the larger tunnel though was dashed as the rumbling sounds continued. The floor trembling with warning seconds before a cloud of dust erupted from the depths of the tunnel. The dirt and hot air carrying with it the scent of wolf, or something similar to wolf. Back in the chamber it was difficult to tell even for his acute nose, but deeper in the tunnel he came to notice the scent of wolf was unlike any he had ever experienced.

Not quite wolf, not quite werewolf but definitely not Fae. He wasn't to sure if he should feel relieved or not about this. Shaking the dust off his clothes he continued on down the tunnel, remaining wary all the while. He was still not sure what he had stumbled upon in the Fae wood, Faeries were powerful creatures but they were not known to be very well organized. That chamber held all the evidence that the Fae had planned to masquerade as humans but gave no answer as to what their plans were. He wondered what fate befell Andrick and Mr. Kaerkvich when his foot stepped on something that was not the stone floor.

The darkness of the tunnel swallowed him up, causing him to freeze in his tracks and quietly cursed the fact that he did not bring those glowing mushrooms with him. In the pitch black of the tunnel all he could do was feel and hear the soft creaking of wood that was all too familiar. He cursed again when he retracted his foot abruptly from the tightening clutches of a root. In a moment of recklessness he moved deeper into the tunnel and regretted it as he stumbled once more over another root, aggravating his already throbbing ankle. With effort he regained his footing, only to have his poisoned leg suddenly buckle, sending him right into a wall of entangled roots. A barricade!

Unsteadily he bound back from the writhing plant life, landing heavily as he favored one leg. He remembered the roots he had to squirm through when he first entered the Fae realm and scowled. There was little chance of him wriggling through this mess. It left him just once other option. Drawing both arms out to his sides he fanned out his fingers and allowed his youki to gather over each wickedly sharp claw. He hoped this tunnel was solid stone, he hoped it wouldn't collapse in on itself if the blade flew astray. As he swung both hands in a graceful pattern, unleashing blades of youki to slice through the roots.

The sounds of roots snapping and crackling filled the tunnel, the writhing flora no match for his destructive power, a pleasing sound like no other to his ears. Then the return assault came. Bright white light poured through the gaps torn in the barricade. Bright light that was painfully blinding to eyes that had no time to adjust to the sudden change. He growled a bitter curse and squeezed his eyes closed as he raised a hand in an effort to shield his face from the blinding illumination. After a few moments of torment he managed to open his eyes without cringing. His gaze wandering past the shattered barricade to what looked like a room filled with plants and the scent of...Peas?

Rather large Peas. As he stepped into what was another massive chamber the first thing that caught his eye was the winding stalks of vegetable plants the size of trees. Their thin vines reaching out to entangle around anything and everything they could, mostly each other. They obviously needed the support for the pea pods that hung nestled among the round green leaves looked heavy enough to cause many of the plants to sag. Unable to help himself, he entertained the thought of how large the peas inside the pods must have been when a deep voice rose from somewhere beside him.

"Demon. You are not one familiar to me. Who are you?"

The youkai turned towards the voice and raised a sleeve to shield his nose as another rumble sounded followed by the whoosh of air that shook the towering vegetable plants around him. This time he could feel the faint traces of power in the air. Power he was not fully familiar with but could at the least identify as demonic. His gaze locked on the source of that rumble and blast, several large green leaves still trembling before him. As the dust began to settle he made his way towards the thicket of green, dinner plate sized leaves. Cautiously reaching a hand out to part the foliage, allowing him to finally see the demon they had been looking for. Or what was left of him.

Marchosias lay before him, a wolf that he could guess was nearly 20 feet long from nose to the tip of his tail. His fur was as black as midnight, at least what he could see of it. The wolf was down on his belly, roots similar to the ones that choked the chamber entrance were tightly entangled over the demon. The wolf's body looked partially eaten by acid, his fur clustered in scraggly tufts around open wounds rimmed in necrosis. Marchosias' head was bound tightly to the ground, with vines wrapped around his muzzle and neck. The wolf had a single eye left, the other taken by acid along with a disfigured ear. That eye though was the same ivory color as the moon and shone just as brightly as he stared at the dog demon pushing his way through the greenery.

"Who are you demon? You are not one I have ever seen before." The wolf's words came in a strained gasp. His one eye following the dog demon as he paced slowly around his bulk, inspecting the binds that held him pinned. Was he making sure the Grand Marquis could not get free? The demon wolf drew a shaky breath and gave a low rumbling growl as he struggled to rise against the vines that bound him. The futile struggle causing the earth below him to tremble before he sunk back down and exhaled in pain. unleashing the dust storm that washed through the forest of vegetable stalks.

As the dust settled once more the demon wolf turned his gaze back to the dog, only to be met by a downright authoritative glare from those golden eyes. The youkai had full intention of releasing the wolf but first he had to set a few things straight. He was a Daiyoukai and although the title did not translate in other lands that didn't mean he would tolerate another demon growling and huffing at him. Perhaps it was the canine roots between them or perhaps it was an old habit of his that would never die. But the Daiyoukai looked the Grand Marquis in the eye and held him in a stern and unwavering glare as he stood a few feet away from his snout. Drawing a commanding presence around himself in a silent effort to warn the wolf demon that he'd not accept any subordinate place. Marchosias returned that glare with just as much intensity, but ended the stand off a few moments later, the wolf looking away with a snuff of defeat. The Grand Marquis silently wondered if the outcome would have been different if he wasn't bound in Faerie shackles?

Probably not.

Despite the dog's size, the aura he allowed to unfold around him was an ancient one. The wolf watched the dog carefully as he searched through the mess of vines that held him fast. The youkai frowned some as he discovered there was Fae magic embedded into these. It was understandable as the roots by themselves were not enough to hold even an injured demon. He was reaching for one of the roots then when the wolf shifted.

"Please...you need to find her. She is here, somewhere. I can feel her fading as we speak. I cannot afford to lose her!"

The wolves tone was soft but held an edge of fear that sent a chill down his spine. That outstretched hand slowly curled into a fist as he slowly turned to look at the wolf before he could remove the expression of concern from his face. Drawing a breath, he swallowed back the knot in his throat before he spoke his first words to the wolf. "Where is she? This area is massive, without a clue I could be searching it for days." His gaze immediately turned to the green choked cavern, using this moment to shake the icy chill of those words from him.

"Tanya... She is here. It is all I know. I can feel her, but nothing else."

The wolf sounded helpless, did Tanya mean as much to him as he was suspecting? Then, the acid torture the wolf endured was nothing compared to the real fear of knowing the woman he cared for was in danger and he was helpless to do anything about it. The youkai gazed out to the vegetable forest thoughtfully. Deep in the far reaches of his memory, something stirred. Something that caused a brief pang of misery as it tugged on a heart string...he promptly coaxed it back to the darkness from which it came.

Now was not the time to dwell over the irony.

Without another word to the wolf demon, he set off into the jungle like environment of pea stalks. Putting his nose to the air, But all around him the air smelled heavy of greenery and wolf, no matter how hard he focused he could not catch even a trace of human scent anywhere. He spent several minutes just pushing his way through the round green leaves. Searching for any clearing, opening or evidence that another body was trapped here. He searched for roots and even craned his neck to stare up at the vines that entangled themselves everywhere. Everywhere he looked all he saw was stalks and pea pods. Stalks and more pea pods. He began to grow weary of the vegetable and growled something nasty as he climbed up the stalk of one plant, seeking a better vantage point. Only to find the one good perch the plant offered blocked by an overhanging pod.

With a small grunt of annoyance he leapt up and used his claws to slash the pod right off the stalk. Regretting it a second later as he realized that the damage inflicted to these plants might just send a warning to the Fae. Landing on the perch with some grace he looked over the side to the falling pod with a "Tch!" The pod tumbled through the entangled thin vines of the plants and hit the ground. The impact splitting it open and spilling out a dark red substance that ran thick over the ground. That definitely did not look like peas. The coppery scent of human blood rose from the burst pod, sickeningly sweet from practically fermenting inside it's green casket. He made a face as he watched the bloody ooze slowly drain away to reveal a near mummified body resting in the shell of the pea pod. Pickled in it's own fluids.

"How macabre. I never thought the green faeries would become so desperate. " The world had changed greatly for creatures like them, even more so than for demon kind. Easing himself down from the stalk he landed lightly on the ground beside the ruined pod. Wrinkling his nose he approached the gruesome scene to study the withered corpse. The terrible thought that Tanya is within one of these pods giving him a grim outlook on finding her.

Once more his gaze returned to the vegetable stalks and the pea pods hanging from them. Marchosias claimed he could sense Tanya, meaning she was still alive and possibly trapped within one of these. Moving as fast as his healing limbs would allow him the youkai bound his way up into the branches of another pea stalk. Using his claws to slice into the top of the pods where he could view the contents of these living body bags without spilling them out over the forest floor. A black and red soupy mess was all he found in that pod. Crinkling his nose he left it alone and moved onto the next. Wondering what purpose these human corpses served for the green Faeries? The next few pods held much the same when he tore them open, shrived corpses slowly fermenting within their own bodily fluids.

The smell that rose from the opened pods was beginning to stir a few memories. Centuries before when he would pass by battle fields filled with dead soldiers. Their bodies baking within their armor under the sun. The smell from these corpses could be detected for miles, attracting scavengers and driving away the wary. He used to think that was the worst smell a human could produce, now that was being challenged. shaking his head he tried to clear his sinuses with a sneeze before he continued with his grisly work. Another pod was torn open by his claws and another corpse leered at him from within its crimson bath. This corpse though had a beard that looked all too familiar. His golden eyes closed a moment as he gave a soft sigh, he'd found Mr. Kaerkvich.

The corpse showed less decay than the rest of the poor souls he'd come across, which sadly did not tell him much. If only he knew how long it took to ferment a human body? He gazed out to the remaining pea pods and continued on, the next pod he tore open was no different, the one after that was filled with a murky green fluid that smelled strongly of chlorophyll. A pod ready for a victim? It would be the first pod he'd come across that was empty which raised his skepticism. Reaching down he slashed a two inch hole into the bottom of the pod and stepped back as green goop gushed out. With an eerie sense of calm he watched the fluid level slowly drain down inside the pod, his golden eyes slowly widening when he saw a head of hair emerging. Followed by the neck and shoulders of a young woman.

His claws slashed down the seam of the pea pod, splitting it open and spilling out the contents. Darting in he caught Tanya in his arms as she slid out of the pod and drew her away to a safer distance so that he could evaluate her condition. That same green goop clung thickly to Tanya's body and face. The woman showing no outward vital signs. She was alive though, he knew she was for the bond she shared with the Grand Marquis was still intact. He carefully pawed a hand over her face and pried open her mouth his fingers. Forcing as much of the green gel out of her mouth as he could before he turned the woman over and pounded at her back with the palm of his hand.

"Come on..." His tone came in a low growl as he continued to pound at the young woman's back, trying to coax her lungs into working. This goo, whatever it was, had to have been keeping her alive. But for what purpose?

"Come on!" As the seconds ticked by he knew he was losing her. Was this woman being used to control the wolf Demon? Why though when he was too injured to put up a fight?

"TANYA!" He snarled as he began to feel the first tinge of despair that she would be joining her parents. He felt the young woman's body tense in his arms moments before she began to cough. Spewing up more of that green goo as she struggled to clear her air ways and draw her first real breath in a long time. Gently he drew her hair back as the woman continued to purge her insides of the gel, the youkai feeling relieved that she was alive and from what he could see, apart from looking very thin, she was unhurt. As the girl rested against his arm he gently rubbed her back, taking a moment to look around. He'd caused considerable damage looking for Tanya and feared the Fae were aware now of where he was. " Miss...we need to get moving, can you stand?"

He took care to keep his tone soft as he watched the young woman. Tanya rubbed at her face with one hand while reaching over to brace her self against her rescuer. It took her some effort and some of his help but she finally sat up and looked the youkai in the face. The first thing he noted was that Tanya had the same eyes as the Yeti-woman. Her hair was much the same too, but unlike her mother, Tanya looked far more delicate with high cheek bones and a slender build. A far cry from the Yeti-woman who a few weeks ago body slammed the youkai and put him in a wrestling hold. She stared at him for a long moment, her eyes locked on his golden hues. As the minutes ticked by without an answer he began to wonder if Old Baehe's vodka induced spell had worn off?

He opened his mouth to try again when a blood curdling scream erupted from Tanya! He instinctively tensed just as her vicious right hook nailed him in the cheek and snapped his head to the side! Another Scream and another punch followed to split his lip this time. With a snarl he shoved the woman away from him and raised an arm to guard against another blow as he stood up. This "delicate" young woman was definitely the Yeti-woman's daughter all right! He wiped the blood off his lip with the back of his hand and shot the young woman a withering glare. Golden orbs narrowed as Tanya scrambled back from him, cursing something unintelligible at him. He answered her in a warning tone so flat and ice cold he'd have made his eldest son proud.

"Enough of this woman, I am not your enemy, do not insist on becoming mine. I have no time here with Marchosias and your brothers waiting on my return. "

Tanya's eyes narrowed on him as a scowl drew over her face, she remained on the ground half curled. Her fingers sinking through the moss told him she was conflicted, the glimmer in her eyes betrayed her fear despite the mask of bravery she wore. He waited a long moment for the woman to sort out her thoughts before his patience ran out. He closed in on the girl who started to scramble backwards. Catching her next flying fist in his hand before drawing her close, holding his stern glare on her. " We do not have time for this, Bran is poisoned and I fear dying. You are coming with me and if you strike me again you'll ride on my shoulder like a sack of potatoes!"

Tanya gave a yelp as she felt his arms slipping under her knees and over her back. Picking her up off the ground with ease before he turned and started back towards the Pea stalk forest. Her hands were still balled into fists and looked ready to strike again, but she wisely held herself in check this time. Whatever this creature was, he was strong and like nothing she had ever seen before. Casting a side long look at one of those dark blue stripes Tanya finally spoke in a clear tone. "What are you? Where have you put them?"

Needless to say he was relieved that Tanya was talking to him at last. For now he kept his spinning questions in check as he ducked past a tangle of vines and answered. "Vaan calls me a Wakalek but I am neither wolf nor faerie. Your brothers I had to leave in a chamber a little ways from here and Marchosias is still right where the Fae left him." He kept an eye on the woman as her face slowly dropped in disbelief, seconds before her expression hardened.

"You brought my brothers into this danger?" Her words were laced with venom far more deadly than the handing lichens in the Fae wood. Her as the accusation was answered by a deep and discontent sounding growl that rumbled in his chest.

"I did no such thing. The Fae took your brother and -"

" I know nothing of you! How am I to believe anything you say?" The woman cut him off with such fury that he began to consider throwing her to the ground and continuing on without her. Tanya's glare though was no match for his furious returned look. His patience was running very thin, a fact that was easy to see in the threatening glow of his golden eyes.

" There is no time to recount my story, there is a massive Fae beast outside of these tunnels that has worn the look of your father for some scheme. Your mother and two brothers were brought down here by this Fae. I merely went after them. Your mother is dead, felled by the same Fae Beast and now Bran is on his way to joining her. I have spent too much time already searching for you at Marchosias' request and now you are giving me trouble!" He was about to unload another string of verbal frustration on her when Tanya looked away, a distraught look on her face. It was then he realized that the news about her mother caused her breath to hitch.

He felt a little guilty for scolding her and looking ahead as his tone softened. "Please...I have many questions that need answers. I want to help you and your brothers Tanya, but I must understand what is going on here first. Tell me the reason why you are all here? What is the Fae after? " The woman in his arms stirred a little, her face still turned away but the emotion in her voice was unmistakable.

"The Fae Lord, he felt the humans were a threat, he came to Marchosias. He wanted the Bodark to chase the humans from the town. Marchosias...he..." Tanya drew a deep and shuddering breath before she continued. "There was peace here in this small village, the Bodark were known of but no one from the village wanted to bother them. Marchosias refused. "

He could not blame the Grand Marquis, peace such as that was difficult to obtain when it came to humans. Even in his days of reigning over the western lands, all he ever asked of the humans was to simply leave him be. Unfortunately that was a request that was seldom honored. He smiled softly at the thought before his gaze rolled back to Tanya. "How are you involved in this?"

Tanya began to pick a little at her finger nail as she dared sneak a little look to the youkai. "I met Marchosias when I was 13. My parents moved to this village from the city and I was so unhappy that I stole the car. I was going to drive back to the city. " She chuckled softly at her own youthful inexperience, her tone lightening a little as she continued. " While I drove past the forest the car got caught in the snow and would not move. I was such a fool then, I tried to walk through the forest instead, dragging my suitcase. I nearly froze to death in the snow and then the wolves found me. I screamed and ran until I was hopelessly lost." Tanya paused again as she savored the little memory, laughing a little. If for no reason other than the fact that she could laugh about it now.

He could guess the rest of the story, if Sakagami's information was true the Grand Marquis held a sense of chivalry when it came to women. He smiled sadly as he pushed back his memories of a time long ago at the edge of a bamboo forest...

"So the Fae Lord kidnapped you to use as a bargaining chip? What of Andrick?" He quickly asked before his own emotion could overtake his common sense. Tanya snapped from her little dream with a flinch and began to fidget again. She licked her lips and shifted in his arms before she reached out and grabbed a fist full of his shirt.

"Stop here. I don't want him hearing this." Tanya warned as she looked up towards the canopy of vegetables. The youkai came to a stop as she asked and waited. The woman drew a breath then and closed her eyes.

"I killed Andrick. He died...he died because of me. I wanted to help Marchosias so I approached the Mining companies son and tried to talk to him. We..." She began to look about desperately, the desire for escape plain to see in her eyes. "He liked me and I used that against him. I played along, went on dates then...when he trusted me I went to the Fae and told them about Andrick."

At this point Tanya was in tears yet she held a brave face. "I worked for the Fae Lord's plans to capture Andrick, I asked the Fae not to hurt him. But...but then Andrick saw me one night with Marchosias...He thought...I was...in danger. He confronted me, asked about the wolves. I told him to stay away from the wolves. But I saw the hunting party Andrick was collecting in secret and I ran to Marchosias. Andrick chased me down and I begged him again to take his men and leave the forest at once..."

" ...I will beg him to take his soldiers and leave the castle grounds at once..."

"Enough..." He whispered the word so softly that he didn't even hear it, but Tanya caught it right away. She saw the forlorn look on the youkai's face and fell silent. He stared ahead a the foliage with distant look in his eyes. Before his gaze slowly turned back to the woman, shaking his head. She had no idea how those last words haunted him.

" I'm sorry miss, I know Andrick's fate now, I need not be told any more." It was a cover but it brought the focus back on Tanya as her eyes cast down once more in shame. She meant to lead the son of the Mining company to the Fae, but instead she lead him to the jaws of death, the Grand Marquis' wolves. Something the woman regretted despite her obvious devotion to the wolf demon. It left one last question in his mind then and he started out once more towards the ailing wolf. "What about your father?"

The sadness on the woman's face was quickly swept away by anger. Her hands balled into fists once more in front of her. " I thought the Fae be-spelled my father, he began acting strange soon after Andrick died. We moved from the village to some run down shack in the forest, I didn't complain, I was closer to Marchosias now. But then Father started telling stories about wolves attacking him. I met with Marchosias in secret, but he did not know what wolves Father was talking about. Father went as far as to gather hunting parties in the village!" Tanya growled as well as a human could and brought her fists down over her thighs in frustration.

"Then the dog bit father out side near the shed. We called that sweet dog 'Rasputin' because he looked mean but was such a loving dog. He never harmed anyone until that day, when I rushed over to see I realized the blood was...green." She bit her lower lip as the anger slowly turned her face red. " I grabbed the pitchfork, I was going to beat the faerie out of him! But then I remembered nothing. "

The youkai made a little face, that was an awfully extreme way of ridding someone of a possession. Well, one way or another it could work. In any case, now he had his answers. The Fae wanted the people chased from the village after learning that the mining company would be drilling right where their Faerie mound was located. They wanted the wolves to do the dirty work and would go to any length to accomplish that. The Fae Lord knew exactly what the white dog sleeping on the train was. He thought the youkai could be used to further drive the Bodark into attacking and like a fool he allowed himself to be played in this elaborate game. His steps quickened then as he came to the clearing where Marchosias lay.

The large wolf was making terrible rattling sounds as he breathed. His moon colored eye opening a crack as they approached. Tanya squirmed so much in his arms that he nearly dropped her, the youkai barely managed to set the woman down when she stumbled the rest of the way to collapse near the great wolves muzzle. Tanya was visibly shaking as she timidly held out a hand to rest over the large muzzle of the Grand Marquis. He turned his eyes away to give the pair privacy while attending to another matter. The roots that held Marchosias down to the mossy ground. Like before he held out a clawed hand near one of the roots and just like before he sensed the Fae magic coursing through it. This was going to be time consuming as he suspected it would take a fair amount of hacking to cut through these.

There had to be a place where the roots met, a base of some kind that he could cut through and kill a good portion of the remaining roots. He began to circle the wolf as he searched for the base of that tangled mess when a scream erupted. A faint and echoing scream. It sounded very much like a scream that came from a long tunnel. He turned his head as he listened carefully, the wolf beside him along with Tanya falling dead silent. Watching the youkai carefully. Another scream echoed in the distance, Marchosias' ear perked a little as he softly commented. "There are children near?" Tanya gasped when she realized who the screams belonged to.

"My Baby brother! Wakalek you must-!" Her jaw slacked when she realized the youkai was no long there. She turned in time to catch the last quiver of large, round leaves at the edge of the clearing.

Chapter 19 - End.


	20. The Burning

_AN: I want to apologize for the long wait again. I ended up taking chapter 19 and re-editing it. It had glaring errors are a terrible flow of story telling that I just had to do something about. So that ate a little time for me. I will say that as I post chapter 20 I am already working on chapter 21! Thank you for your patience._

Chapter 20 - The Burning.

The drive to protect was a powerful force within an Inuyoukai, it was instinct drawn from their mortal canine brethren. Not always did Inuyoukai give into that instinct but when they did the drive awakened something from deep within them. In their desire to protect, feelings like rage and fear were converted into strength and determination, pain was forgotten and weakness was eliminated. Unfortunately this same instinct possessed a darker side, it drove the dog demon into doing things they would normally never do. Their thought processes changed and they would sometimes lose their instinct for self preservation.

His body was punctured, run through and poisoned by the stinging barbs of his enemy, his ribs cracked and one limb was numb. Yet he was still moving at full speed down the tunnels, his pain forgotten and his body functioning fluidly despite injury. All because of a child's scream. The instinct to protect was like an adrenalin rush through the Inu No Taishou's body, only this energy was focused on one objective. This drive allowed him to cross the narrow tunnel in total darkness without slowing down, it allowed him to tear through the roots that tried to barricade his path like they were strips of paper. When the tunnels ceiling became too low he transformed into his canine form without a thought and without slowing down.

When he burst into the room he left the children in he quickly discovered the reason for their screams. Everywhere he looked the room was filled with writhing green vines and roots almost to the point it was choked. In the far corner of the room Vaan was cowering with his unconscious brother as the vines slowly began to coil around them. The youngest boys eyes were wide with terror as he clung to his brother, terror that deepened when he saw the large white dog demon smashing it's way through the vines towards them. This was the first time the child had ever seen the Youkai's canine form without his magical cloak. Any other day under better circumstances he would have thought the sight of his friend would have been majestic. But at the moment his monstrous red eyes and large snapping teeth were all the little boy could see.

Vaan froze where he sat as those massive teeth bit down over a writhing thick root, crushing it with little effort before they parted wide once more and went for him. His face was locked in a look of terror as he stared, his mouth opening to scream but that scream never came. Those teeth clamped down on the front of his winter coat, the child having no chance to react before he was yanked into the air. Vaan closed his eyes and braced himself, only to find himself deposited on the ground out of the vines clutches a moment later. The boy's eyes flew opwn as he turned his head in time to see the white dog diving back into the vines once more. Tearing at them relentlessly before his teeth managed to catch a hold of Bran's coat. Vaan scrambled to his feet as his brother was snatched from the Fae's deadly embrace and brought over to him. The child's eyes now seeing beyond the dogs vicious teeth and frightening eyes for the first time. "Wakalek?"

There was barely enough time for the him to nod in answer, the roots could sense their prey had escaped and were trying once more to reach for them. If they did not make their escape now they would be ensnared! Turning his muzzle back to the sick child he was about to nip a hold of Bran's coat when Vaan intervened. "No-no! I has better Idea Wakalek!" The child cried out before he grabbed his brother and hefted him up onto the Youkai's furry back with a little effort.

Realizing what the child was trying to do he sunk his form down to the ground to help him, as soon as Bran was on his back Vaan climbed up next. Meanwhile he was warily watching the vines slow approach them. He felt the boy positioning his brother across his wide back before his little hands firmly grab onto his thick grey fur mane. Taking that as a sign that they were ready he tested the boys grip while he straightened up and satisfied that the children would not easily fall off he turned to flee the room.

The vines though would not allow them an easy escape. Because of the children on his back he needed to avoid sudden movements, leaving him unable to avoid most of the green vines that reached for him. Forcing him to slow down in order to snap and tear at the things, gnawing a way through to the tunnels entrance as he went. He gave no thought at all to the consequences of his actions, biting through anything that got near his vicious jaws. Only after he'd broken free of the room and could escape into the tunnel did he become aware of the terrible taste and painful burning of the sap in his mouth. As he traveled the tunnel his maw hung open and his tongue rolled out, had he been in his human form he could spit. But unfortunately a dogs muzzle did not have such an ability. So he drooled instead. Hanging his head low so he'd not get the stuff all over himself.

The trek through the tunnel this time was much smoother, the roots that blocked his path before still remained broken along the walls of the tunnel. The Faerie magic must have been concentrated to the room the boys were in. To think he believed the boys were safe there? How foolish of him to think that his sealing ward placed on the door was enough to stop the Fae! He never once thought about the roots running along the walls posing a threat. These children were lucky that he was within hearing range when they were attacked. He mulled over that thought as he came upon the exit of the tunnel where it opened up into the Pea plant forest. Up ahead in the green glow he saw the silhouette of a figure, his nose catching the scent of Tanya.

She waited by the tunnel entrance for the return of the Wakalek, choosing to leave her love's side was a tough decision for her to make as Marchosias still lay trapped. But she was not strong enough to pry the bindings off the Bodark. She asked herself a hundred times if she should follow the Wakalek, but wondered what she would do when she found him? The creature that pulled her from the Fae's be-spelled pea pod so far proved that his intentions were good. But how could she be sure? What if he was another Fae? Or something much worse sent there to kill the Grand Marquis and all he held dear for his refusal to aid the Fairies? What if he was after something else? She stared at the darkness as those questions bounced around her head. After what felt like an eternity Tanya began to fidget and pace. Her patience though was rewarded when she heard the sounds of something approaching. Moving closer to the tunnel's exit she mustered the courage to call out. Her cry though died in her throat. Instead a gasp came out when she spotted the large white dog that emerged from the darkness.

A large, bloodied, Red eyed and drooling white dog with very big menacing looking teeth.

"IEEEEEEEEEEEYAAAH! CUJO!"

Tanya shrieked and stumbled backwards at the sight of the beast, her eyes unable to tear away from the glowing red demonic eyes that stared back at her...and widened? She shrieked again as he moved back another step, crying out in a panic. "WAKALEK! Where are you!" When no answer came, she started to hyperventilate for a few moments, before she managed to draw a deep breath. Without any more warning she unleashed a glass shattering shriek that caused the dog to hit the dirt and bring both paws over his ears! " A Cujooooooooo-EEEEEEEEEEEEEK!"

"Tanya the Wakalek iz Right HERE!"

Vaan sat up from on the dogs back, rubbing his own ears while casting his sister a scolding look. " You iz still scared of that movie? Cujo Not real!" Tanya stared at her brother in bewilderment, as far as she could tell he had popped up from behind a large puff of fur on the dogs back. That expression remained on her face as Vaan climbed down and made his way over to look into that red eye and apologized. " Sorry, Tanya is a big baby sometimes."

The youkai flashed the boy a curious look, his gaze moving back to Tanya who was still holding the same expression as before. Perhaps he deserved some of this? He didn't remember if he ever mentioned to her that he was a dog demon. Not that he ever made a habit of mentioning that detail to anyone. And what was a 'Cujo'...? Mindful of Bran still on his back he rose to his feet once more, following Vaan at a distance as the boy rushed to his sister. Tanya snapped out of her stupor just in time to sink to a knee and throw her arms around her little brother. The young woman beginning to sob while she hugged him tightly.

He stood back and gave the siblings a moment to themselves. This was the first time they'd seen each other in months though he knew they could not have much time to enjoy this family reunion. Bran was wrapped in a coat but his fever was burning so hot he could feel it through his fur. The boy's breath was shallow and he lay asleep despite his sister screaming loud enough to wake the dead. Craning his neck he gazed back to the older boy, he looked terribly pale and his face was a deep shade of red from fever. They had to get out of this Faerie domain quickly. The longer they took the less chance Bran had of survival.

Deciding that the time for the siblings to enjoy their reunion was over he made his way over to Tanya and poked his cold nose against her arm. Effectively making the poor girl flinch as she released Vaan. Tanya looked ready to scold him when her eyes fell on Bran.

"Bran was poisoned by the trees. " Vaan explained miserably while his sister picked the sick child up from the dogs back. Holding the eldest boy in her arms she pressed a hand over Bran's forehead, a worried expression coming over her face. She was about to say something to Vaan when she noticed the white dog trotting off towards the forest. Unwilling to be left behind she quickly got to her feet and gathering up Bran more securely in her arms as she followed after the dog.

He did not stop to see what Tanya would do with her sick brother, he knew well enough there was nothing anyone here could do. The boy needed medicine and clean water to wash off the remaining poison. Something he doubted they could find in time down here. A fact he also suffered from. The burning in his mouth was working down his throat now, it felt like he had gulped a large spoon full of hot chili paste. But this was not chili paste, this was Faerie poison.

If only he had some water to wash out his mouth with or at least cool the burning feeling. Sadly he would not trust even the water down here if he did find it. The thought of cool water was pushed to the back of his mind as he broke through the foliage and trotted towards the hulking form of Marchosias. A moon colored eye followed him as he padded past the Werewolf's snout, along with a deep and rumbling growl.

It took one cold look from those red eyes to silence the werewolf. Marchosias realizing then this dog was the demon from before. Remaining silent, the Grand Marquis watched the dog as he climbed onto the roots and sniffed about. Finding what he was looking for a moment later as his teeth latched onto the base of a root. Along his canine body strong muscles rippled and bulged as he dug his hind paws in pulled as hard as his could. The root cracking loudly and sparking as Faerie magic struggled against his nasty teeth and growing demonic aura. Another hard pull ripped the root in half, the severed ends withering up into brittle dried husks almost instantly.

The caress of the youki caused what little of the werewolf's remaining fur to stand on end. Yet he remained still as the dog demon picked out the next root and let his teeth go to work. After crushing the next root through his teeth the huge wolf finally had the wriggling room he needed to pull himself free. The large wolf's form heaving against the remaining binds, snapping them with some effort as he rose to his feet for the first time since he arrived in this accursed faerie wood. Tanya broke through the foliage in time to see the wolf standing at last and the dog shaking himself off as his tongue lagged.

These vines had the same terrible taste and horrible burn as the ones he'd fought to save the children from. The burning now was so terrible that he dry heaved from the pain that now ran down his throat and into his stomach. Sinking back on his haunches the youkai let that blue glow surround him once again as he transformed back to his human form and immediately turned his back to the group. Using a large green leaf to partially hide behind as he tried to spit up and force himself to regurgitate the poison.

"Wakalek what's wrong?" Vaan called out and started for the youkai when his sister caught him by the arm. Dragging Vaan back as she cast the little boy a warning look, granting the demon a few moments of privacy behind the leaves. Marchosias took a shaky step towards her before sinking onto his hindquarters. Giving his legs that were not accustomed to movement a chance to recover. Hearing the sounds of the young woman's foot steps he bowed his head as Tanya closed the distance and reached up to run a hand over the large muzzle. Pressing her cheek against his fur as she closed her eyes and thanked their turn of luck.

While he cursed his turn of luck. He stared at the small puddle of blood before him, all that came up when he tried to purge his stomach of the flora's poison. The burning continued worse than before and this was just another bad sign added to it. Once more he wished he could find some water and berated himself for not thinking to pack a canteen before entering the faerie hill. Alas there was nothing that could be done about it now. He closed his eyes for a moment and gave a long exhale, clearing his mind for a brief moment to make room for their next task at hand. Escaping this Faerie Hill.

A gentle sigh escaped his lips as he opened his eyes and gazed through the canopy of these strange trees. Coughing up blood meant that his demonic healing was not keeping up with the damage he was suffering. If he was not careful he would soon succumb to the poison. The image of the Yeti-woman's corpse came to mind and he instantly pushed it away with another thought. What if he devoured one of his enemies? He could take their power as his, grant him immunity to their poisons. But what of the side effects? Would he be able to absorb Fae magic into his own power? What if it backfired? He built his power through out his years by devouring his strongest enemies, absorbing their demonic power and adding it to his own. But some powers were not meant for him to wield and he quickly discovered that absorbing power was much easier a task than casting it away. Due to that, he was very selective over what he took.

He had never absorbed power of anything but youkai before and he had never tried adding to his youki while in this 'state' either. He was an Inugami now, his soul having overtaken a human's body and corrupted it into a youkai's. His flesh was still weak by demon standards and lacked some of his demonic qualities. His power was also limited and not even a fifth of what he once had. He could possibly still be able to grow his power even like this, but if something went wrong...?

Shaking his head he dismissed the idea and started to rise to his feet as he whispered to the giant pea plants around him. "This is not the time to experime..." His eyes widened as the ground beneath his feet began to quake, the youkai bracing himself against the trunk of a giant plant. Beyond the quivering leaves Tanya screamed and Vaan was yelling out something he couldn't understand. But the panic alone was enough to spur him out of the greenery and back into the clearing. The Grand Marquis was on his feet, his back arched as a growl rumbled from his throat. Tanya and the boys were huddled against his side, all staring up at the huge shape rising above the tree tops.

The Fae Lord's head gazed almost sightlessly at the cavern ceiling, clumps of soil clinging to his moss and vine beard. All around him the tops of the tree sized vegetable plants parted in his wake, giving him room to emerge. The youkai looked up to the towering Fae, his gaze unwavering as he called out to the others. " I want you all to run and find a way out of here, do not go back out the way I came in as there are enemies laying in wait."

"You are not capable of taking down a Faerie Lord, your injuries are too grave." Marchosias growled in warning, turning his only good moon-colored eye on the dog demon. "We will all run from here, there must be an exit somewhere and we will find it."

"Before we even reach the other side of this giant vegetable garden he will

be upon us." Shaking his head in refusal. " I entertain no thoughts of

defeating this Fae. I am injured yes but I am the only one who can keep him

busy while the rest of you search for a way out. I will follow you after."

The sound of scuffling feet drew his attention from the wolf, his gaze falling to Vaan who was tugging against the grip of his sister in a panic.

"No-NO! Wakalek comes with us!" Vaan yelled shrilly before he stopped and

looked up to his older sibling and the wolf. He couldn't help but stare in amazment at the child's cry but quickly shook his head.

"Vaan there is no choice, if I go with you then all of us could die..."

"What if Wakalek dies!" The boy gave a scream as he struggled in his

sister's grasp, ignoring the massive wolf's muzzle that drew close to sooth

the child with a nuzzle. None of which was helping the boy calm, with so

little time the youkai knew he had to act quickly. He made his way towards

the frantic little boy and sunk down to a knee, his hand reaching out to

clasp Vaan's shoulder. Calming the boy the next moment as he stared back at

His friend before him as he offered some reassurance.

"I will come back Vaan, I promise you that much. I will fight the Fae that

hunts us only long enough for you all to find an escape route." He put on

an encouraging little smile for the boy as he continued in a gentle tone.

"If you wish to help me, then you must find a way back to the surface

quickly. "

"That is not a mere Fae, that is a Faerie King of this northern land.

Friend, you best be very careful." Marchosias warning caused his

smile to fade a little, the wolf was putting it gently but he knew the

gravity of those words. A Faerie King, how ironic this turn of events, it

made his little smile twist briefly into a smirk.

A Faerie King. He had to marvel on how fate loved to play tricks on him sometimes. It pushed him into an almost impossible situation only to offer him a sliver of hope in the form of a key advantage. A Faerie King was once his target, perhaps it was this very same one. He hunted the beast for his master and nearly felled it, but somehow it managed to escape its doom. His gaze drifted back to the massive creature that was quickly composing itself. Raising its arms high as the plant life surrounding it began to tangle over the Fae Kings form. Fusing with his body, adding to his strength.

It was a formidable foe he was facing and here he was without his armor or weapons. No matter. After a few moments he realized that Marchosias was still eyeing him warily. More so after seeing that dark little smile coming over the dog demon's face. He shook is head briefly before he stood up and barked out his orders. "GO! All of you find a way out of here! No matter what you hear or see do not stop is that understood?"

He heard Vaan's voice rising once more and spared a moment to console the child. " I can track you all by scent. Once I a can no longer hold the Faerie King off I will retreat and meet back with you." His gaze flicked between each, resting a few seconds on the annoyed looking wolf. Weather he liked it or not Marchosias would have to take these orders. Begrudgingly the Grand Marquis turned on his hind quarters and nosed Tanya along. Herding the girl and the children off to the forest. Leaving him alone to face his enemy.

What an enemy it was, for a moment his confidence lacked as he watched the Faerie King building himself to a stronger form. If he wanted to strike this monster he best reach in him before he was finished fortifying his body! Taking off at a sprint through the forest he carefully picked his way through a plan of attack. He needed to reach the Fae's head, if he could then there was hope. Gazing up through the Pea plant tree tops he started to plot his course when something odd caught his eye. Slowing his pace a little he watched the plants above him curiously, something did not look the same about them. It was a few moments later when he realized that it was the pea pods that looked strange. They seemed to be deflating though not a single drop of their victims fluids within leaked out.

Instead the pods were each imploding on themselves, wrapping tightly around the corpses trapped within. While thin vines reached through the shriveled seams and inside of the pod. Terrible magic was at work and he dread the thought that every pod in the forest was currently undergoing this metamorphosis! That fear pushed him to move faster, bounding his way up the green trunk of a giant plant and into the canopy. There he leapt along the green tops to close in on the Faerie King as he stood there still very much entranced by his own magic. This was possibly his only opportunity to strike the Fae and he did not hesitate. He gracefully kicked off the tree he was perched on and bounced off the vines that were currently connecting the Fae to the forest around him. Not losing stride he hit the massive arm of the fae and quickly bound his way up.

The Fae King flinched and began to sway when he felt the youkai land on him, breaking his concentration on the spell. Fiery green eyes turned to the irritation going up his shoulder just in time to see the first blades of youki a second before they caught him right on the side of the face. Each blade tearing through green skin and bark, crushing wooden bone and effectively taking out one of his eyes along with a good part of the Fae's face. The deep bellow that rose from the creature was intense enough to cause the entire cavern to shudder and almost made the youkai lose his footing. Only to leap from his perch as a huge hand came down for him, slapping hard over the shoulder he was just standing on. Bounding off the back of the huge hand he grabbed a fist full of mossy hair and used it to help him vault up onto the creatures huge head.

The Faerie King began to shake his head back and forth in an effort to dislodge his small attacker. Proving his stubbornness though the youkai hung on with one hand while he raised the other to prepare another strike of youki. Not like he had a clear shot, where he succeeded in keeping himself anchored in place the Fae's violent head shaking was preventing him from keeping his aim. Green Fae all had a life-sustaining stalk within them. If he hoped to kill this King he had to reach his life stalk and sever it! Reaching it though was tricky, with the Leshy he had to split open the creatures back to reach it. That took some effort to do and here he was dealing with a bigger Fae with armor added on!

Movement in the corner of his eye caught his attention, he spied another large hand coming up towards his head only to stop. From the palm of the massive hand dozens of thin vines tipped with wicked barbs lashed out for him once more. The sight of their return made his curse under his breath, he could not take anymore of the barbs Venom and bitterly he relinquished his perch as he leapt back. Sweeping his clawed hand out to unleash another attack of those youki blades. Severed barbs rained down as he hit the retreating pea plant's vines, sliding down them desperately clawing for purchase. His fingers finally managed to snag a hand hold to bring him to a stop, his gaze darting up to the Fae king looming above him.

The monster opened his mouth to an impossible width bearing no teeth and not even a tongue though he did not linger on those facts long. Instead he watched the huge cloud the monster belched forth, a cloud that quickly expanded and spread, streaming for him like a hand full of tossed flour. Dust? Spores? He did not want to find out and quickly released his grasp in a bid to escape the falling cloud. Hitting the soft ground on his unsteady feet before he took off running. His eyes were focused on his enemy above him so he did not see what grabbed him until he felt skeletal fingers wrapping around his arm. Violently twisting he stumbled as something else grabbed his ankle and sent him crashing to his knees. A vicious growl rose from him as he glared at what caught him expecting to see more vines. Instead he gazed into empty eye sockets of a skull.

With a hiss he yanked his leg back out of the skeletal grip that had him, rolling away far enough to get back to his feet. He stared out at the forest around him and realized then that he was surrounded with cadavers, skeletons and other corpses in different stages of decay. But they were not undead…they were overtaken by green magic. Where flesh blood and tendon once were was not replaced with vines, twisted greenery and leaves. Plants were growing from the chests of the skeletons while thin vines encased the bones. Animating the corpses and taking advantage of their structural mobility. Staggering back he took in the sudden turn of events. If it were simply one skeleton standing there he would not be worried…but he was looking at an army of them. All the pea pods from the branches were gone, each having spawned a monster.

As if matters were not bad enough his vision was suddenly clouded by cascade of powder that smelled sickeningly sweet. Clapping a hand over his nose and mouth he quickly ran out of the falling spore cloud, instantly feeling its effects. His skin burned and began to blister and his vision blurred as he furiously blinked away the stuff from his eyes. He could still see enough to pin point the Fae King above him and with a sudden bout of near suicidal determination he charged for him.

…...

Marchosias snarled as he crushed another skeleton beneath his huge paw, up on his back Van clung to what little fur he had left while Tanya sat behind him. Clutching her eldest brother in her arms as her terrified gaze scanned the forest. They had only been running for a few minutes when the pea pods began to drop to the ground around them. Each one splitting open as one of these skeletal monsters emerged. In a panic they climbed onto the large Wolf's back and held on as he ran. Marchosias was sadly not as quick as he would like to be and this was only the third time he had been ambushed by this army of forest fae.

It was looking to quickly be his last. The Grand Marquis was weakened from his imprisonment, he was horrifically injured and stood little chance here with a fight. He had to get Tanya out of here! If nothing else he would see that the woman he held so dear made it out of here alive even if it cost his own life! Pressing on he plunged right into the wave of skeletal monsters. Suffering their entangling vines and biting jaws with little reaction. His one good eye focused on getting past this wave and to the dark forest beyond. As Tanya screamed from his back he blocked it out, she knew what he was doing. She knew what would happen. But there was no room for argument so he ignored her screams and the rising howl before him.

A howl?

That moon colored eye blinked a moment as confusion came over him, for a moment he thought his imagination was playing tricks. But then the howl echoed once more through the forest before him followed by the sound of something big running towards them. The skeletons that were once trying to tear him apart were becoming distracted by a new enemy. At the very edge of Marchosias' vision he could see skeletons being hoisted in the air and thrashed about wildly. Dark shapes swarmed out of nowhere trailed by a large white form….

Marchosias Quickly back pedaled as the huge canine form of Hitorri leapt over the wave of Fae solders and nearly landed on top of him! The white dog looked very similar to the dog demon that freed him. Though this dog's red eyes looked terrified as they darted around him. Despite his impressive size the dog demon did not look like he wanted any part of this fight and pranced around trying to avoid the skeletons as a form sitting between his ears poked up.

Old Bahae clung to the dog's white fur with one hand while waving his walking stick high with the other. His head was nearly split by a wide grin as he sucked in a deep breath and unleashed another spine tingling howl! In answer a wave of wolves crashed into the skeletons, the ambush quickly becoming chaotic as fangs snapped and snarls echoed through the forest. Marchosias meanwhile backed off from the wild melee, struck in awe and disbelief as he witnessed first hand the tide of their battle turning in the favor at last.

…...

Back at the rented house….

Sakagami stood up stiffly, his hand pressed to his aching lower back as he groaned softly. Carefully he stretched out and flinched at the series of

pops that ran along his spine. The stiffness disappearing only to be

replaced with a dull ache. The man leaned heavily on the broom he was

currently using for a crutch and surveyed the room he'd worked so hard to tidy up in the past few hours. His usual black suit was gone, replaced with a pair of

sweat pants and a faded tee. His shoulder length hair was gathered under a

head scarf and his silver eyes peered over a pair of glasses. He ached all

over and would ache for the next day or two, but it was all well worth it.

Before him the living room was sparkling clean. Everything from the table

lamps to the television was spotless. The hundreds of books that made up

Hitorii's mobile library were sorted and neatly filed in alphabetical order

by subject, author and title.

Sakagami took a final moment to bask in the refreshing beauty that was a

cleaned room before making his way to the couch and slumping down heavily

on it. A deep and pleased sigh escaping him as he gazed to the huge cases

of books. It had been nearly three days since Hitorii and that strange dog

demon disappeared, leaving Sakagami alone in the house. Not that he minded.

He was worried for his friend but knew Hitorii could take care of himself,

after all he was a youkai. Granted...he was a better scholar than demon

when one really thought about it. Unlike his brethren, Hitorii felt power

and wisdom was gained best through knowledge, not a sword. It was a

theory that had been the center of debate for hundreds of years and showed

no sign of being settled anytime soon. Reaching over he casually plucked a

book from the coffee table and paused a moment to marvel at the piece of furniture.

He had no idea they even had a coffee table until he attacked the massive

pile of books in the center of the room. Excavating the table out from the

literary mountain before it could give in to the strain of the volumes

stacked on top of it.

A smirk played over the historians face as he looked down to the book in

his hands. Truthfully, cleaning up the books was for his sake more than

Hitorii's. His friend had a strange understanding about organization. Books

could be -and often were- everywhere, from the floor to the fridge to the

bathroom medicine chest. But when he needed a specific volume he could

always find it. What was even more amazing was Hitorii's memory of a books

contents. Sakagami quickly learned that Hii-chan didn't simply read books.

He committed everything to memory word for word. To his amazement

Hii-chan not only could quote exact phrases from any book he'd read, but

also give the page number, author of the book and even the publishing date

if there were multiple additions of the tome.

That wasn't the limit of Hii-chan's curious prowess as a scholar. Sakagami

learned quickly that his demon friend often became very absorbed in his

reading. Or maybe a more accurate description would be…Obsessive? If given a series of books, he would sit there for days reading. Nothing short of an explosion could distract him either. He would remain focused on his reading, often forgetting to take meals or sleep. There had been many nights where Saka had to slip a sandwich under his friends hand while he studied. Hitorii absently munching on it a few minutes later. It was that intensity that allowed Hitorii to obtain a Doctrine of Medicine in a quarter of the time as normal student. Material on Science was his favored subject followed close by mythology, though on rare occasions he'd read fiction.

Drawing his fingers along the edge of the cover, he opened the book and let

his silver eyes roam over the yellowed pages. Remembering the first day he

met Hii-chan. When Hitorii first stepped into his office he wore a big

smile and a bigger coat. At the time Sakagami dismissed the look, he had

dealt with many demons in his line of work. He learned early on it was

Important to not ask unnecessary questions. At the time he did not want to know

what the young demon was hiding under his coat. After their first talk and ininitial consultation he was surprised to see that Hii-chan was possibly one of the nicest demons he'd ever had the pleasure working with. Although the requirements that he insisted had to be met for the property left the Historian feeling a little nervous. When a property was found and the final paperwork was being filled out he could take his curiosity no longer...and asked an unnecessary question.

'My pop is actually going to live there, he's a Taiyoukai. We're both Dog

Demons.'

That sentence still brought a shiver down his spine when he thought about

it. Shutting the book Sakagami set it aside before stretching out on the

couch. Giving a small laugh at the irony of it all. He was destined to die

in the jaws of an Inuyoukai. The hell hound, Inu no Obake had cursed his

ancestor, a curse that followed his soul each and every time it was reborn.

The condemned always bearing the dog demons silvery eyes. Hitorii was the

first dog demon he'd ever encountered and luckily he was nothing to be afraid of. But what terrified the Historian was Hitorii's sire. He never laid eyes on this 'Taiyoukai' and he did everything within his power to make sure he never would. The day he signed the papers that would allow Hitorii and his father to move into the suburbs of Tokyo was the same day he packed up his own home and office to move out!

The happy-go-lucky Inuyoukai though proved to be quite invaluable to him and Sakagami did not lose touch with his new friend. He knew of his cursed heritage, though sadly all his knowledge on the story could not help Sakagami defeat the curse. But during the time it took for the two men to sit and talk over it, the historian found himself getting over his fear of this quirky dog demon and a friendship was forged. Hitorii helped sooth his fears when he informed him that Inuyoukai in general were very few. Really old ones were even more rare.

That didn't stop him from moving out of Tokyo.

Thankfully Hitorii's words rang true and he was the only dog demon he had

ever encountered, until recently. Sakagami sat up a little on the couch,

his eyes drawn upstairs to the door of the guest bed room. He was not happy

when Hitorii first told him about the suspected inuyoukai the Kaerkvich

family had. What was worse was the fact Hitorii made no effort to hide the fact that he was afraid of this demon. The historian vividly remembered Hitorri's account of that fateful first meeting in the forest as if he himself had been standing there

instead. One of Hitorri's innate powers was his ability to sense magic of

any kind. The dog demon he approached was cucooned in ancient and dark

magic, at it's core was a very powerful demon soul. What unnerved his demon

friend the most? The fact that this dog demon remained undetected by him until he saw those golden eyes. Sakagami suffered a couple of sleepless

nights over that news. Though like before his worries settled when he

realized that this dog demon's interests lay with the Kaerkvich's.

Then came the night Hii-chan arrived with the injured dog demon. The youkai

was unconscious thanks to a tranquilizer dart, but the sight of the large

demon rekindled his fears. The demon's clothing was in tatters and Sakagami

could see the powerful build of the body beneath. Strong enough to pick a fellow like himself and snap him in half like a twig.

His fears died though when he saw the horrific injuries the old demon bore.

Wolf bites, gored wounds and gun shots, including a shot that took out his eye...some how he doubted this demon was in league with the Hell Hound. Later that night after the youkai was carried up to the guest room and given proper treatment, the two of them sat down at the dinner table and talked.

"He's an InuGami, which explains the dark magic. It's still a scary

idea when you think about it though. " Hitorii spoke in tone that was

barely above a whisper, as if he feared the drugged demon above could hear

them. The Historian studied his nervous looking friend closely as he ran a

finger over the rim of his tea cup. He had never seen his friend look so

uncertain before.

"Is he from your family? The likeness is uncanny, gold eyes, silver hair.

The markings are not in the same place but..."

" He picked out my crescent moon right away, he's seen it before." Hitorii

interrupted as he shifted a little in his seat, his moko curling around his

feet. Giving away his lack of confidence. Pushing his tea cup aside Hitorii

propped his elbow on the table and closed his eyes. " I only know three

other members of my family who are inuyoukai, my father, my grandmother and

my half-uncle. Maybe...maybe I should call my pop and ask him?"

Sakagami could not control the shiver that ran up his spine then, or now as

he remembered it. Hitorii's father called back and Hii-chan had good reason

to believe the Taiyoukai would come here in the next couple of weeks.

Hitorii's father hated humans with a passion, making any attempt to put him

on a plane a slow one. This gave Sakagami a few days to pack up and find a

motel! Pushing himself up off the couch he brushed off his hands and called

out to no one in particular. " House is clean, fridge is stocked, now I am

getting out of here before I'm put on the menu."

All he needed was a shower and a change of clothes, his bags were packed

already and he had arrangements made in the village for his stay. He

started for his bed room but couldn't help staring at the guest room up the

stairs. He bit the inside of his cheek in thought, ever since the two dogs

left he had avoided the room. He knew far too little about the ancient dog

and the fact the youkai refused to answer any questions about himself

brought no comfort. What he knew of the Inu No Obake though was priceless.

He could not afford to let this dog demon slip away from him. With a sudden

feeling of determination washing over him, the historian turned on a heel

and started for the stairs. He tried not to think about how he was

intruding on the old youkai's privacy when he reached the door and pushed it

open.

Unlike the rest of the house the guest bedroom was kept neat by it's

demonic occupant. The floor was clean, the bed made and the youkai's set of

Chinese style clothing lay folded at the foot. His silver eyes roamed the

room from top to bottom, seeing nothing else of the demons possessions.

With a sigh he made his way to the foot of the bed and picked up the silk

shirt. It was obviously worn looking but not torn or tattered. It did feel

odd in his hands. He silently recounted Hitorii mentioning once that if a

youkai wore an set of clothing long enough that the fabric would absorb

some of the demons aura. Allowing it to mend any tears in it like a wound

would.

Setting the shirt aside he gazed down to the pants and realized that they

had pockets! Shamelessly he poked a hand in and rifled around the pockets,

one contained a small pamphlet with train schedules. The other pocket

contained a few coins of yuan and a piece of paper. Plucking the paper out

he fixed his glasses and studied the four lines of kanji scribed in the

top.

"How to use a payphone...Step one take a yuan piece and feed it into the

coin slot..." He whispered out loud in bewilderment before his gaze dropped

to a string of numbers. A phone number!

Was he living with someone? A smile spread over his face as he went over

the numbers, memorizing them though becoming worried that he would forget

in his excitement. Reaching into his own pocket he produced a pen and

looked around for a piece of paper. When he didn't find that he settled for

his hand. He'd only begun to write down the first few digits when he heard

the front door open. Those silver eyes grew wide and darted for the bed

room door as he heard soft footsteps entering. Cripes! They were back

already and here he was rifling through the old demon's room like a nosy

room mate! Quickly he stuffed the paper back into the silk pocket and moved

the shirt back where he found it. Stuffing the pen in his pocket he made

his way for the door and peeked out. Maybe he could sneak by without

Hitorii and the Ancient one noticing him.

He realized a moment later that there was one person standing in the houses parlor and it took the historian a moment to realize it wasn't Hitorri. A man clad in a sleek dress coat stood there, a long fluffy tail much like Hitorii's curled beside him. Unlike Hitorri's though the fur ran up and over a shoulder, practically curling around his arm. His hair was long and bound in a lose braid and he also bore a crescent moon on his fore head. But it was the last two details that struck fear into Sakagami's heart. There were twin stripes on this demons cheeks and his gold eyes looked cold on an other wise emotionless face.

Cold golden eyes that locked on his widened silver and sent an instant shot of mind numbing fear through the historian. His jaw dropped as he barely managed to utter a single word…"shiiiiiii…"

Chapter 20 - end


	21. Wolves and Weeds

_Authors Note: I can't believe I have been writing this for a year now. I sat down and read the story again from chapter one and realized how my writing has evolved since then. This is my first time writing anything like this and boy is it turning into a long story! I hope it's not dragging for anyone. I am having fun writing it and as this arc comes to a close I already have another one lined up. So my little hobby will continue on. Thank you for reading and I hope to see you all when I do eventually write the final chapter in this Inu no Taishou's saga. _

Chapter 12: Wolves and Weeds.

Sesshoumaru.

In Sakagami's panic stricken mind he tried to remember the paper work he once filed with Hitorii regarding a house in Tokyo's suburbs. The home was for Hitorii's father, a Taiyoukai named Sesshoumaru. Drawing deep, measured breaths Sakagami forced himself to remember. Although no official date was known it's assumed he was born sometime before the Heian period of Japanese history.

Making him a demon who had lived for almost a millennium. Oh Sakagami did make an attempt to locate a historical record of this demon. Unfortunately there was next to nothing written in the history books about this Taiyoukai. Not even the tiniest mention of his kind in the more secret texts documenting demon kind. No doubt due to his son.

There was one thing Sakagami did know for certain; this Taiyoukai detested humans. That terrifying piece of knowledge echoed in his mind as he stared at Sesshoumaru. Standing in the parlor giving a cold look to the only human in the whole house. Sakagami stood there frozen in terror, like a deer caught in the headlights of an oncoming semi. In that moment of sheer panic he somehow made himself believe that if he held perfectly still the youkai would not see him. Wait…didn't that only work on a T-rex?

In slow motion Sesshoumaru turned on a heel and started for the stairs. Cold golden eyes locked on his prey as he took his time crossing the parlor. The whole scene felt like a horror movie, with Jason stalking his terrified prey through the house. If only it were an undead, hockey marked, machete wielding psychopath going up the stairs towards him and not a man-eating dog demon. If only he wasn't frozen in terror at the top of the stairs, watching death slowly stalking him from below, driving his panic to an intense point. If only he could slow down the run-away train of thoughts barreling through his head!

_Where was Hitorii!_

_He told me his father would not be here for two weeks! TWO! WEEKS! _

_Sesshoumaru has to be tired ...and hungry...from his flight!_

_Is he smiling?_

_He's enjoying this isn't he?_

_WHERE ARE YOU HITORII!_

_I'm about to be eaten and you're not here to save me!_

_I'll even take the Ancient demon! He'd save me from being eaten right!_

_**RUN!**_

The sense of flight finally pried control of his body from his sense of terror, he drew a deep breath as he retreated back a step. Raising his arms defensibly before him, making a few whimpering sounds as his eyes widened. The Taiyoukai was half way up the stairs and almost within reach of him. Sakagami's jaw dropped as a terror filled scream rose from his throat. Before his breath was spent he scrambled away from the stairs and took off running as fast as he could. Stumbling and sliding as his socks slipped on the polished wooden floor, he managed to reach the bathroom and practically threw himself in. Slamming the door shut so hard the house shuddered.

Sesshoumaru stopped mid step and calmly watched the man take off in a panic. He gave a little 'Tch' to the human's antics and continued up the stairs. Hitorii had informed him long before that he was friends with Oshoromaru's sacrifice, though this was the first time he had personally ever seen the doomed soul. He was nothing impressive and the Taiyoukai dismissed the terrified human. Let him cower in a lowly corner somewhere, what he was truly after was beyond the door the human had been standing in front of.

He could smell it. Faintly, but it was there, a scent that was so familiar with yet not. The scent was corrupted, laced with something else to dilute it. Pushing the door open he stepped into the neat and quiet room. Taking a moment to close his eyes and carefully analyze this scent. Looking for clues hidden in the complex layers of intermingled smells.

_'Dad, I think I have an inugami here but he looks a lot like us. Do you know a dog demon with dark blue markings?' _

Hitorii's words ran through his mind for the hundredth time. He knew. Yet it did not make sense. That same night that he'd received his son's phone call he left the comfort of his home and journeyed to a cavern hidden deep in the mountains. Within that cavern was a gateway guarded by two crumbling sentinel statues. A gateway that opened to the land of the dead, the Youkai Graveyard. A dangerous journey even for him, but the risk was worth it. He had to see the answers to his questions with his own eyes.

Answers he sought yet the huge empty eye sockets gave him none. Nor did the frighteningly large jaws that remained in a silent snarl ever since the last tendrils of flesh that once supported them had rotted away. Sesshoumaru gazed at the corpse of his sire silently, taking in how little time had changed the skeleton. Even as other massive corpses around it had long since crumbled to dust, The Inu No Taishou endured even in death. These ancient bones endured the test of time, having never moved from this spot. Golden eyes gazed up to his sire and narrowed, a fist clenching at his side. No, there was an answer here, only it was one he was not happy to have found. Drawing a shaking breath he closed his eyes.

When he opened them again he was back in the guest bed room, his fist still clenched. The once faint scent seemed pungent to him now, it reeked and he gave a snort to clear his sinuses as he stepped back out of the room and shut the door. His cold gaze still locked on the smooth wood as if it were at fault for the stench beyond it and for the venomous thoughts in his head. There is only one dog demon with blue markings and he rests in death. This thing that Hitorii found, this Inugami, must be walking the land with a foul purpose. This Inugami must be found. Slowly Sesshoumaru turned towards the hall, his half lidded golden orbs cast a side long glance at that bathroom door.

Sakagami sat in the bathtub clutching the only weapon he could find...a toilet plunger. In his brief time locked in the bathroom he managed to cry, panic, go into denial and finally calm down enough to accept what was happening. Now he was feeling at peace as he sat there, staring emotionlessly at the bathroom door while straining his ears in a feeble attempt to hear the Taiyoukais movements. Instead he only managed to jump at every little creek of the old house. What could he do? He was fool to think he could hide here.

He felt like a fool, a helpless and pathetic fool. Had he been thinking he would have run to a window and leap out. Instead he ran into the one room in the entire house that contained no windows at all! It was over, he was doomed! Slowly his gaze dropped from the door as his hands wrung over the plunger handle. Maybe the youkai will leave? Not once had he heard the sound of foot steps. Then again, what if he didn't make a sound when he walked? The answer came as the bathroom door creaked in protest, straining on it's hinges as something incredibly strong pushed from the other side.

Sakagami's eyes widened as the door jam snapped! Sending splinters of wood flying everywhere as the vibrating door jerked an inch and then stopped. Unconsciously he held his breath as the door gently swung open, reveling the Taiyoukai of the West behind it. Silver met Gold and it was all Sakagami could do to keep his bladder under control. He scrambled back against the bathtub wall giving a squeak of terror! His eyes widening then rolling up as he fainted dead a moment later. A single thought echoing through his mind...

He was not going to live through this.

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They were not going to live through this!

That was the first thing Hitorii could think of when he caught a glimpse of the two boys, especially Bran. He was a good distance from the children and could not really see either one too well behind the hulking form of Marchosias. Though in truth he did not need to see them, the scent of fever lingering in the air was unmistakable. In Hitorii's years as a physician he'd learned that nearly all ailments had a scent. From the tiniest scrape to the worst virus. Even certain Cancers had a tell tale scent. As he practiced his trade he discovered and commit each scent to memory, even now as far away as he was his highly trained nose could pick up the smell of Bran's fever. It also could pick up the scents of anemia and necrosis. He needed to get to those kids quickly!

Not something that could be easily done. Currently there was an army of skeletal monsters between him and the ailing children. Each one a strange combination of bone and plant life and each one difficult to kill as the wolves were quickly discovering. Tearing off a head, ripping out a limb and shattering through ribs was not stopping these strange creatures. Every inch of the plant that was entwined around the bone and could still move even if separated from the rest of the body.

As the werewolves tore the skeletal creatures apart they continued to move. To crawl and grasp at the fighting wolves' legs with skeletal hands and gnashing teeth. Many of these monsters came after him as well, though at the moment Hitorii was in his true canine form. Standing fifteen feet high the whelp was an imposing sight, unfortunately the skeletons were not impressed and chased him mercilessly! Forcing the whelp to constantly prance about as he tried to avoid capture. He was well aware that he was more than a handful for these monsters but he could not dispel the mental image of him being swarmed all over! The other reason why he couldn't get to the children right now was currently seated between his ears.

Old Bahae was howling like a raging maniac while he waved his walking staff around. Directing orders to the attacking werewolves as he watched the whole battle from the top of the huge dog demons head. In the short time they had to return to the Underhill the strange old man managed to round up sixty wolves for the fight. At one point Hitorii thought that was an impressive number, until he saw what they were up against! Old Bahae suddenly spurred his heels into the sides of the dog's neck and grabbed both his feathery ears like reins. Hitorii giving a yelp and bounded forward into the throng of skeletons. The feeling of a few unlucky monsters becoming crushed under his paws brought him a little satisfaction. If only that were enough to placate the poor whelp's terror as he charged through!

A moment later he realized what Old Bahae was after, straight ahead of him was

the hulking form of Marchosias. The huge wolf placed himself between the skeletons and the humans and was putting up a valiant fight despite heavy injuries. Sadly the wolf was slow and a few skeletons already had a hold on him. If he was not assisted soon he'd be overwhelmed if he did not succumb to his wounds first. Burned wounds, cut wounds, the wolf was so terribly disfigured the whelp had to wonder how long he had left. So absorbed he became with inspecting the ailing Wolf demon that he jumped sky high when Bahae slammed his walking staff over the top of his head to get his attention!

"Go Giitz them dog friend! Old Bahae will take care of these Weedz! "

The old man cried out gleefully before unsheathing his sword and sliding down Hitorii's shoulder. The bewildered whelp staggered a few more steps before he turned his attention back at the skeletons. Giving another yip as he felt something grabbing his feet, the dog lifted his paws up one by one and shook off the clinging attackers before turning on them. He needed to get these things away from Marchosias and the others! Steeling himself he charged forward towards the throng of bone and plant life and skid to a halt. Lifting his forepaw he began to swat-swat-swat! At the demon wolves attackers! Looking much more like a cat than a dog really, he even reared up on his haunches so he could swat at them with both forepaws at once.

It was a very sissy move, he knew it and could almost picture the look on his father's face if he ever saw him fight like this. As ridiculous as it looked though it was working, his claws were still quite sharp and the strength behind the blows was considerable. One by one the skeletons were crushed into the ground while others simply went flying from the force of the blows.

Marchosias though was giving him a weird look for it. Hitorii started to return the look when he felt something grabbing his tail. With a yelp he bunny hopped on his hind legs before turning around and cautiously biting at the monsters clinging to his fur. Shaking his head in fear of the skeletons grabbing a hold of his nose next! Whining as more started to grab the end of his fuzzy tail, the youkai alternating between donkey kicking and padding in a tight circle, chasing his tail as he tried to bite them off.

It was utterly amazing to the Werewolves that were watching all this, none more than Marchosias. This dog demon looked very much like the previous one that found him. But that dog could kill with a look, this one would be lucky if he could keep himself from being killed. The wolf began to consider aiding the bumbling dog when a green light surrounded the large demon. Hitorii gave up trying to handle this on four legs and quickly transformed himself back to his human form. Hanging in the air as skeletons came raining back down.

"Is that Mr. H!" Vaan's voice piped up somewhere behind Marchosias, the little boy scurrying out from behind him to see the floating demon. "I didn't know he was a Wakalek too-ack!" He yelped and flailed as his sister grabbed him by the back of his shirt and dragged him back to safety.

The monsters were not giving up, they crowded under their flying prey, waiting for him to come down. The sight of boney faces leering up left Hitorii feeling a little reluctant about landing. Focusing his youki below him he floated along while clutching his medical bag and a sword tightly. There were sick people down below and these things were doing a good job of keeping him at bay.

It left the whelp with no other choice. Slowly he allowed himself to sink back down to earth while at the same time allowing his youki to expand. He had no real offensive power, but he did have the ability to null magic around him. Demonic or otherwise.

As the skeletons came in contact with his bubble of youki they began to slow down, some even trembled. Hitorii watched anxiously as the monsters began to retreat back away from his aura. Clearing the area for him as he landed on his feet, a smug little smirk on his face. "HA! Take that you pesky-" His goading was interrupted as a werewolf barreled into his aura while dragging a skeleton that was clinging to his neck. The wolf immediately began to cry out in pain as it lost control of it's legs and crashed to the ground. The beast writhing around as it's transformation began to reverse! It's wide eyes turning on Hitorii in confusion and terror.

"Sorry! Sorry! Sorry!" The whelp scrambled back in an effort to move his aura away from the stricken werewolf, before he turned and ran for Marchosias. "Shoot! Crud! I should have known it would do that! "

A frenzied howl that made the fur along his back and tail stand on end rose from behind him. He felt something coming from that same direction and only with a desperate leap did he narrowly miss getting throttled over the head by Bahae's staff! Wide golden eyes turning on the old man who had seemed to come out of nowhere to take a whack at him. Bahae recovered from his miss and stalked after Hitorii. His wrinkly face bright red with fury as he snarled. "What iz you doing Dog!"

"Whoooa whoa! Calm down old man! I'm just trying to make a protective circle around me! Keep your wolves away or I will accidentally undo their transformation! " Hitorii eyed that staff warily as he backed up from Bahae. In the short time that he'd known this crazy old coot he'd been whacked over the head by that thing more times than he liked.

Old Bahae stopped his advancing and narrowed his beady eyes on Hitorii sternly. Before taking a quick look around, seeing that the dog was right, the skeletons that depended on fae magic to animate them were becoming weakened in the aura. Some collapsing entirely on the ground. The old man gave a nasty looking smile before he reached into his oversized coat pockets and pulled two bottles of vodka. Tossing one to a confused looking Hitorii. "Take this friend! Drink some and give to the girl and her brothers. Quickly!"

He couldn't stop himself from gaping at the old man, Hitorii looked at the dirty looking bottle of home brewed vodka and just shook his head. "Old Bahae with all due respect, this is not the time to drink! Not good to give this to kids either!"

Old Bahae flashed him a big grin of mostly gum line with only a few teeth remaining, before he bit a hold of the cork and pulled it from his own bottle. Spitting the thing into his hand before he put the bottle to his lips and took a big swill of it. Turning from the whelp the old man aimed himself at several skeletons trying to retreat from the whelps barrier. Spewing out the liquid in his mouth into a mist that ignited almost instantly!

Hitorii had seen fire breathers before, but the amount of flame that roared from this old mans spit was beyond the normal explanation of physics. With suspicion he quickly twisted the cork out of his bottle and sniffed the contents. To his relief it was not vodka in the bottle, but something else that smelled pungent. Putting his trust in Old Bahae he quickly turned on a heel and started for the injured. Marchosias had sunken to the ground, his breathing sounding labored.

There was no doubt in Hitorii's mind that with plenty of rest the wolf demon would live though this, his wounds were serious but demons were hardy creatures. Approaching the huge wolf he placed a hand on his nose a moment. " You look bad but I want to treat the kids first. Please be patient. " That moon colored eye stared at him but otherwise Marchosias did not give any response. Moving away from the wolf he spotted the three humans, Tanya in the center holding one of her brothers in her arms. While Vaan looked out from behind her and smiled big.

Tanya surprisingly did not look too bad, she was very thin but otherwise bore no wounds beyond scrapes and minor cuts. Vaan also looked somewhat alright though he showed signs of poisoning on his reddened skin. Bran though looked critical. Dropping to his knees before Tanya he motioned to the scared looking woman to set the boy down as he opened his medical case. "Please, I want to help him."

"Mr. H is a Wakalek too! " Vaan cried out again as he jumped up and down behind a skeptical and scared looking Tanya. Her eyes were locked on Hitorii, taking in all his unique features, even his fuzzy tail.

"You look…just like the other one." Tanya breathed after a few moments, catching Hitorii a little by surprise. She must have seen the Furui, that is all he could think she meant by what she said. Casting the woman a look he reached out to gently take Bran from her arms. Wincing instantly at the heat wafting off this child, his fever was running dangerously high. Questions bounced through his mind about the old dog but more pressing matters lay at his finger tips. Quickly he pulled open the layers of clothing on the boy before reaching for a cold pack from the case. Popping it as he wrapped it in cloth.

"I need you to hold this cold compress against his neck, alternate with temple every few minutes. His core body temperature has to be brought down." The bundled pack was shoved into Tanya's hand so abruptly she nearly dropped it. As she quickly obeyed and tried to cool her brother down Hitorii grabbed another cloth and popped open a bottle of peroxide. The boy was covered in poison, his finger tips were tingling from merely touching It. Pulling on a pair of gloves he took the bottle and dampened the cloth, before reaching over to wipe away at Bran's open and puss filled wounds.

This did not look good, the boy's breath was shallow and he was completely unresponsive to what was being done to him. As his wounds began to foam a little from the peroxide he did not so much as even twitch from the stinging pain. He did not want to think about it when he first saw the child, but the terrible thought would not remain pushed back for long.

It was too late to save this boy.

Shaking his head a little he continued to clean the child's wounds. Stubbornly refusing to give up. His gaze flicked to the row of small vials in the case, mentally going through each of them to see which would help Bran. When his gaze fell on the vodka bottle beside the case. Old Bahae wanted him to give some of this to the kids and Tanya, but he had no idea what was in it. It was a foolish idea to give the child something he didn't trust. Making a stern face he reached out and plucked a bottle of antibiotics out of the bag. Taking a hold of a syringe to fill.

Behind him more flames erupted followed by Bahae's insane laugh. "GO ON! You all Iz not so tough when Old Bahae burns you to a crisp!" He gave another whoop of laughter at the retreating skeletons before breaking out into a victory dance. Around him the wolves were regrouping, a few had fallen in the battle and the remaining werewolves dragged the now human bodies away. No doubt to be retrieved later on when they left. With a final high kick of triumph Old Bahae ended his victory dance and started to waddle his way over to the demon wolf.

Marchosias lifted his head at the approach of the old man, but said nothing as Bahae came to stand before his nose. The two exchanged looks for a long moment, a word never once uttered between them. But something must have been exchanged for Marchosias began to relax while a thoughtful expression came over the old mans face. A proud smile. Though a brief one as it quickly fell away when his beady eyes fell on the ailing child.

"Friend must give the child Old Bahae's medicine. Iz only way to stop pixie poison!"

Hitorii looked over as he filled a syringe with antibiotics, wondering if that vodka bottle really contained a medicine? Then again it was possible this insane old coot believed anything could be cured with vodka. Bran was going to die and he had no idea what would work in his case. It was a frustrating enough of a situation without Bahae trying to tout some insane home remedy. Yet what if he was right? Biting his lower lip he capped the needle and set it aside. Reaching instead for a children's sized medicine dropper and that bottle.

Pulling out the cork he gave an experimental sniff and much to his relief he did not smell alcohol in this bottle. Instead he smelled tea and something that was sickeningly sweet. Wrinkling his nose he tipped the bottle enough to fill the dropper before moving to Bran. Very carefully he dripped the medicine down the back of Bran's tongue. Feeling a small sense of relief as the child instinctively swallowed and after a few minutes of feeding, began to make a few weak noises.

Hitorii's eyes widened as the child began to respond, despite them being small. Even a little squeak would be reassuring to him. Carefully he continued feeding Bran the last few drops as he shot a quick look to Tanya. "There are medicine cups in the case, take two and drink some of that stuff Old Bahae brought. After your done I want to give you a water bottle. Bran needs fluids, he's dehydrated from the fever but don't let him drink too fast."

Tanya almost did not hear his words, she stared in awe at her brother, not but a few minutes ago she was convinced he'd die in her arms. Not but a few minutes ago she was prepared to say goodbye. Now the new sense of hope brought tears to her eyes as she clung to Vaan. After a moment she snapped out of her daze and dumbly nodded to Mr. H's order, she dragged herself on her knees over to the opened case. Her hands shaking and nerveless as she tried to fill a cup for herself. When she nearly spilled the liquid Vaan quickly reached in and took the cup. Helping Tanya drink it's contents before he piped up.

"Mr. H…what about the Wakalek? We left him behind! I didn't want to leave him, but he wouldn't come with us!"

Hitorii looked up as he finished dribbling the last of the medicine in the dropper. He knew the Ancient One was powerful by himself, but if he were facing a army of these skeletal monsters alone…

"Where did you leave him?"

"With the Faerie King…" Marchosias' tone was shaky and pain filled, but his concern could be easily heard by the whelp. Hitorii realized the Inugami was in serious trouble from the Grand Marquis words and quickly looked to Bahae.

Who was already working on it. The old man barked orders to the wolves as he waved his sword and staff around. Some of the werewolves waited by the edge of Hitorii's aura while others were organizing to leave. Dropping his aura Hitorii quickly pulled out a few things for Tanya and her brothers. "I'm sorry I have to leave you, I have to find him. "

"He looks like you, he's family isn't he?" Tanya's words caused him to fumble with a water bottle and with a little effort he snatched it back up before breathing a sigh. Putting on a brave smile he handed her the water instead of answering, passing another bottle to Vaan as well before he closed his case. Looking back he watched as Bahae vaulted onto the back of another werewolf and shouted the command to move out. The ground trembling below him as heavy paws thundered over it and the wolves took to the forest.

Determined not to be left behind he scrambled to his feet and started to run, calling back behind him. "I'll return as soon as I can! Hang in there!" Before he kicked off the ground and let his youki carry him up into the air. Flying was not the fastest mode of transportation but it would spare him from a ground level ambush. Gazing ahead he grit his teeth as he pushed himself to fly as fast as he could.

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He may not live through this.

Calmly he accepted that thought for what it was. His body had become numb, broken bones were forgotten, the burning of his wounds and cold sweat that streaked down his body went unnoticed. The Fae King's venom was slowly killing him, it had already robbed him of most of his sight, leaving his enemies as shapeless blobs. It was also robbing him of his breath and his strength as well. Calmly he accepted his fate and gave up the notion of retreating, the outcome would be the same if he remained here or chose to run. If he was going to die it would be in battle.

He was determined to bring the Fae King down before that happened.

The Daiyoukai faced off with more of those skeletal monsters, which were nothing more than a moving blur in his vision. In the few seconds it took him to accept his fate he had reached deep within to tap into his last reserve of strength. In those same few seconds the monsters surrounded him, eager to bring down their opponent but wary of his might at the same time. All around them shattered bones littered the soft ground, evidence of this Youkai's strength. The first wave of mosnters were hap-hazard and disorganized. Easy prey for him to tear apart-and he had to literally tear them apart! Every limb had to be torn off and crushed, anything less would not stop them. After nearly a full score of the skeletons fell prey to his claws the remaining monsters backed off to regroup and revise their tactics. Leaving him with a few seconds to catch his breath.

Now they resumed their attack, circling him, corralling him while the Fae King closed in from behind the wall of plant life and bone. Trying to get the youkai in range of his barb tipped vines. Before their circle could fully close he was already on the move, bursting into a full tilt run he charged into the oncoming line, youki flaring over his claws that he swept out before him. Unleashing arcing blades that ripped through the first ranks of the skeletons seconds before he followed with a more brutal attack. Even without youki his claws were formidable, human bones snapped like twigs as he plowed through the mess. Slashing viciously at everything in his wake while tearing his limbs free of the skeletal fingers and gnawing teeth that tried to take a hold of him.

One skeleton managed to land on his back, it's bony arms wrapping around his neck tightly in an effort to strangle him. With a vicious snarl he reached up to break the dead things grip on him when he felt a barb spear him in the gut. Gritting his fanged teeth in rage he twisted his body around in an effort to dislodge the barb. Buckling over he managed to dislodge the skeleton next, flipping the creature over his back. By no means was he finished with the skeleton though, pivoting on a heel he turned back for the Fae King and launched the skeleton in his grasp right for him! Finding some satisfaction when he heard bone crackle and snap followed by the Fae's low octave bellow of fury!

The army's formation dissolved once more with their King's cry, all around him hands and teeth tried to grab at him. They got a hold of his bad leg, his hair was pulled, several grabbed onto his arms as he fought back and struggled. Arms were flung around his waist and dull teeth sunk into his side, after a fist slammed into his jaw he realized he was being overwhelmed by their sheer numbers. His eyes widened as a flood of crimson quickly swallowed up those golden orbs. A flare of blue youki enveloped him and pushed back at some of the skeletal monsters. The chaos intensified as the throng tried to pile onto him, many losing their grip, others finding only clumps of fur in their boney grasps.

A canine roar rose from the throng like thunder, seconds later skeletons were launched violently from the pile as Inu youkai rammed his way out. Those that did not fly far were crushed in his jaws and thrashed around to fend off the rest. Breaking his way from the throng the dog took off running, with his body lower to the ground he could ram his way through the next oncoming wave of enemies. Taking out their legs violently or taking them off entirely with his snapping teeth and slashing claws.

Another barb speared him in the back, another payload of venom, another few minutes of life stolen from him. He stumbled over his own paws from the force of the blow and smothered a yelp through his clenched teeth. Digging his hind paws into the soft soil he twisted his body around and latched his jaws onto the vine. Exercising considerable control to not bite it in half, instead he hung onto it as the vine recoiled violently. Taking him up into the air with it, how high or which direction he could not be sure, his vision was nearly gone. The vine in his grasp suddenly tensed and he quickly released it, narrowly missing the next barb that shot for the very spot his head used to be. He hit something large and covered in bark, his claws sinking in for purchase.

Knowing he had only seconds before more of those barbs would strike he quickly scrambled his way up the Faerie King's body. If he continued to climb he would reach either the Fae's shoulder or head which would put him in good position to stri...***SLAM!***

A huge hand came down over him with crushing force, he could hear is own ribs cracking loudly under the pressure. Blood flooded his mouth and oozed over his lips and his consciousness for a moment flickered. Just barely he heard the deceptively gentle words of the Fae King while those huge fingers curled around him.

"Commendable. A warrior to the very end. " Roughly he was torn free of the Fae's body and held up, his body limp in the huge monsters grasp. Limp but not yet defeated, by the sound of the Fae's voice he guessed he was somewhere near the Fae's face. He took those few moments to recover his bearings as the Fae continued.

"Your an exotic one. A foreigner. Unaware of our ways here. I cannot fault you for your trespassing, had you known your doom awaited here I am sure you would have never entered this Underhill."

The massive fingers curled around him tighter, slowly beginning to squeeze the life out of him. "It is too late now for you. What is done cannot be undone, accept it little one and die peacefully."

Those fiery green eyes caught a hint of a smile on that canine face, before another flare of blue light surrounded the canine. Clawed hands gripped the massive fingers while his feet dug into the large palm, the youkai pushed the appendages slowly apart as his head hung and blood dribbled over his chin. The Fae responded by clenching his fingers tighter but quickly discovered that despite the demons small size and terrible injuries he was still monstrously strong.

If he wasn't so loaded with poison he would have been much stronger, as he was right now he could not stop his limbs from trembling. Slowly he lifted his head as he tried to speak. But after a few unsuccessful attempts to draw enough breath to form words he gave up trying. Instead he kicked off of the Fae Kings hand and dove for his throat. A clawed hand flattened like a blade as he used his forward momentum to spear the limb right through the trailing lengths of green beard before plunging through bark and vine. Sinking deep into the Fae's flesh.

Buried deep in the King's large mossy beard he was only barley aware of the insect life crawling through the fuzzy strands of green. No doubt nibbling on him as he struggled to get a foot hold while his other clawed hand gripped the wound he opened. Trying to split it wider through brute strength all the while the Fae thrashed and pawed at his beard. The tough green skin split further and he wasted no time plunging his clawed hand in again. If only he could reach the life stalk in this monster, he could win this fight!

A sudden blast of intense heat washed over him, causing the green beard around him to brown and dry out and unleashing a gasp from the youkai. A gasp he had to repeat a few times as he found no oxygen in the air around him. Beneath him the Fae Kings body lurched violently before leaning heavily onto one side. Light a mighty tree leaning in the powerful winds of a hurricane. Nearly blacking out from the lack of oxygen he clung desperately to the half singed beard around him. After a few moments of panic he could finally draw a decent breath and heard the chaos exploding around them.

The howls of wolves caught his attention followed by the howl of something else entirely. The sound was familiar and he tried to place it when a string of shrieked curses and threats gave it away. Old Bahae? Another more panicked cry rose above the chaotic chorus of snarls and howls, one he recognized instantly as Hitorii!

"FURUI! Where are you! Answer me Ancient one! "

A whooshing sound followed the whelps cry as another blast of heat licked at him, snatching away his only chance to call out an answer. Gritting his teeth he turned back to his task and continued to tear at the wound in the Fae King's throat. His efforts hindered once again as the huge Fae teetered to the point he nearly toppled over.

Hitorii flew past the chaos on a trail of youki and fur, his golden eyes scanning the battle below as were wolves tore through the throngs of skeletons. There were signs everywhere of an intense fight having happened before they arrived but he could not see hide nor fur of the old Inuyoukai anywhere. So intent was he on searching the ground for the youkai that he nearly got his tail singed as Old Bahae took another swill of that flammable vodka and spewed out another massive wave of flame over the Faerie King.

The massive faerie was impressive, Hitorri had to admit that, this was not a creature he would ever want to face. The magic he could feel rolling off this Faerie King was enough to make the hairs on the back of his neck stand on end. Which made him fear more for the fate of the old dog. He faced this monster alone, did he die trying? Or did he possibly retreat? Where could he have gone? As Hitorii watched in awe the Fae King recovered his balance from the onrush of flames. Holding out his huge hand he unleashed a dozens of those vines from his palm to ensnare and stab at Old Bahae as he cried out.

"How dare you demon of the underworld! How dare you trespass in my domain! Your people have attacked my court! You break the promises you have uttered from your own lips! Explain yourself Asmodeus!"

Hitorii nearly flew into a tree-like vegetable plant. His eyes darting down to the quirky, loud, vulgar little balding man**. **Bahae narrowed his eyes on the Fae King as the vines began to encircle him. Planting his walking stick beside him as he calmly replaced the cork in the bottle of flammable spirits before he could be completely bound. His old face scrunching up as he sniffed and otherwise took his time. Allowing his power to seep out, dark magic that Hitorri could feel from his perch and which caused the vines to stop their assault. Bahae..or Asmodeus as it turned out, tucked the bottle away and finally regarded the Fae King.

"How dare you, Faerie King, bring my son into your schemes. How dare you take him. Imprison him here. Knowing you interfere in his fate? "

Bahae's tone was uncharacteristically calm as he addressed the Fae King. All around him the magic flowed and abruptly ignited into a swirling fireball. Little by little the flames swelled, burning the vines around them into a crisp as it expanded. The Fae King took a staggering step back, retracting his hand from the flames that raged intensely for a few seconds before dispersing. Leaving in itls place a man of roughly nine feet in height. Clad in a tunic and armor reminiscent of Russia's ancient times and with long white wispy hair to go along with his long beard. Asmodeus looked like he stepped out of medieval times.

A slender if gnarled hand reached out to unsheathe his sword which shimmered softly as he pointed it at the Fae King. "This scheme will only bring you more hardship! You are not the only one who sacrificed to the humans, you are not the only one who has lost land and lives. Our precious lands are in the hands of man and their science, demons have accepted this."

"Then the demons can accept their DEATHS!" The Fae's bellow echoed through the cavern, sending the plant life around them quivering. "Hear me well Demon King, the Faeries refuse to die at human hands! " The Fae's fiery green eyes glowed brightly as the cavern around them trembled, in the midst of the fighting wolves and skeletons dirt heaved into the air. Launching lupine and flora alike before the dirt bursting out to reveal Leshy at their cores.

Hitorri began to really worry as he watched the fight turn far more desperate on the ground. At the most there were sixty werewolves that came on this mission. They've battled well around two hundred skeletons, now the Tree Men were here to further embattled the thinning ranks of wolves. What was worse, he could feel the Fae magic intensifying in the cavern. Feeding the Fae King more power for the battle with Asmodeus. Silently the whelp cursed the fact that his youki could not selectively suppress magic. He could fill this battle field with his own power, but it would cut off the magic's completely from both sides. Not an option.

Helplessly Hitorri watched as Asmodeus dealt the first strike, gripping his sword with both hands he spun the weapon above his head full circle. Flames igniting before him, rising high into the air while crossing the distance between the two ancient powers within seconds. The Fae King responded by throwing up both of his hands in a sweeping motion. A wave of soil rose before him like a wall, meeting the flames head on and smothering them back before crumbling away.

As the wave of dirt subsided the Fae began to advance, his mouth practically unhinging as it opened wide. Spewing a thick cloud of poison towards the Demon King. Hitorii watched quietly as Asmodeus slammed the butt end of the staff into the ground, flames erupted in a column around him protectively. It was a cry though that caught the whelp's attention. A tree sized vegetable plant came crashing down after the body of a werewolf struck it.

Down below the tide of battle had definitely turned against them, the wolves were reduced to half now. What ones remained were being quickly overtaken by skeletons. Meanwhile the Leshy were moving towards any wolf that was captured or bogged down by the sheer numbers. Their crushing fists dispatching the poor creatures. Hitorri's hand clutched reflexively over the sword at his belt as he considered his options.

He could go back to Marchosias and fetch the remaining werewolves, but the handful left would no doubt die in much the same way that their brethren were at this moment. Maybe he should return to Marchosias and the surviving members of the Kaervich family, lead them away before the Fae King's army finds them again. But…what of the Furui? Is it possible he was killed? Once more Hitorri searched the ground below him and once more he found no sign of the elder dog demon amid the shattered bones and naked corpses of werewolves. Logically he should leave, he had to have been killed if he was not in this fight. His gut feeling on the other hand told him different, that dog was somewhere around here.

Another massive wave of fire erupted from Asmodeus, it's heat intense enough to make even the Whelp shy back lest he be singed. The light from the flames filling the cavern before smoke bellowed out around the scene. The flames hit another raised wall of dirt, sputtering uselessly against the earthen barrier. The Fae King slowly raised both of his hands as more vines began to burst from thr ground. Readying his next assault when suddenly something broke his concentration and he shuddered. The massive form swaying a little back and forth for a moment before the Fae King suddenly howled in agony

Buried in the beard the youkai continued to dig! Unlike the Leshy the Fae King had very leathery flesh. It felt like he was tearing through layers of leather as he dug his way towards the life stalk. Guided only by his sense of touch he stubbornly continued to dig his way toward the life stalk. All the while aware of the battle raging between the two kings.

Painfully aware. As he slammed his clawed hand deeper into the tough flesh the flash of fire washed over him. Reaching him through the beard this time as it seared him and set the drying moss around him a light! Smoke filled his lungs causing him to gag and clap a clawed hand over his nose and mouth. Leaving only his hand clawed deep into the wound to hold him in place. Things only became harder as the Faerie King began to thrash, swinging his head from side to side violently.

Hitorri lowered his arms as the light of the flames faded, before him the Fae King was writhing while parts of his body were on fire. He began to feel a sense of hope until he witnessed the ground behind Asmodeus lurch up. Large roots burst forth, like thick spears followed by more vines. One of the roots managed to sink into the Demon Kings back while he was focused on the Fae. A snarl rose from the ancient monster as he drew his sword above his head. Only to have a series of vines ensnare it.

Watching the scene unfolding before him in horror Hitorri began to think his plan to escape with the wounded was a good one. If only he could fight, if only his youki was not purely defensive. Cursing himself he turned to make a hasty escape from the battle scene when a splotch of white flashed in the corner of his eye. Gazing back he suddenly realized that the Fae King was not paying a lot of attention to attacking the entangled Asmodeus. Instead he was still thrashing around, both his hands pawing desperately at his beard.

The flash of white came again and his eyes widened when he realized what it was! White hair! The Furui ! Hopping off the branch he was standing on Hitorri floated along on his youki to get a better look. His jaw dropping. He did not know why the Old Dog was clinging to the Fae Kings throat, but he would not remain there long as a massive hand managed to wrap around him. Picking up his pace he began to dive for the Fae, determined to snatch the Youkai from that death grip! But another blast of flame flared, this time so close the flames licked at his fur.

With a cry Hitorri spun away from the flames though he desperately kept an eye on the Furui. The Fae King gave another bellow of agony as flames erupted around him, with a violent motion he flung the dog demon in his hand away. The Daiyoukai's body hitting the ground hard enough to plow it deeply into it! Before sliding hard to a stop, his body heaving as he tried to draw in some of the breath that was forced out of him on impact. It was an effort that took a few tries, his lungs by now were too tortured and tired. As was the rest of him. As the seconds ticked by without any success he contemplated giving up. What was the point of drawing breath? He'd lost his one chance to sever this monsters life stalk, now he was tossed aside. Could he possibly get close enough again to finish the job? No, sadly he couldn't even see the end of his nose, never mind where the Fae King was.

His head rolled back as he ceased his fight for air, his mouth closing as the world around him began to darken. Settling in he waited expectantly for deaths cold grasp. Unbothered by the fact that it was over, deep down he knew death was only a short reprieve for him. But what of Vaan? He promised the boy he would return, he broke that promise. I can only hope he found a way out of this cavern…I only wish I could have-OOF!

Something hard struck him in the sternum. Causing him to heave and gasp, this time his lungs obliged and sucked in some air. In the sudden confusion over what hit him a familiar voice rang out.

"You better not go on me Furui! Breath or else I'll give you mouth to mouth! "

Hitorri? That voice, it was Hitorri! Blood rushed into his throat before he could manage to speak a word. Causing him to choke and gag, blearily unaware of his body being rolled onto his side.

"Whoa! Whoa! Calm down old one! Your beaten to the seven hells and back, try not to do to much." Hitorri warned as he set his medical case down and quickly popped it open. Only to take cover as another blast of flame erupted in the air beside them. Forcing the younger demon to dive down over the body of the wounded elder. The battle was becoming more intense between the Kings, Asmodeus was still pretty well tangled up in the Fae's vines and roots while parts of the Fae King were still smoldering.

With cracked ribs any weight on them brought horrible pain, when the whelp jumped on him the Youkai gave a snarl of pain and cringed. Through that pain though he felt something else dig into his side. Something very familiar to him and a clawed hand reached for it. As Hitorri rolled himself off the Youkai drew his sword out from the scabbard. Leaving the whelp to look down in confusion for a moment before realizing that the Old Dog was getting back to his feet.

"What are you doing! Your too injured to stand!" Bouncing to his own feet the whelp grabbed his unsteady patient. Seeing first hand, the determined look on the you kais face.

"Turn me towards him."

Hitorri opened his mouth in disbelief before quickly composing himself. "Like heck I will! You're in no shape to fight Furui! Do you honestly have a death wish?"

"DO AS I SAY!" Those words were followed by a fang bearing snarl that caused the whelp to cringe! The youkai shakily drawing in another breath before continuing in a softer tone. "Please…turn me towards him."

It was amazing to the whelp really, the determination he saw in the you kais face and heard in his tone. It was amazing and sad, for it meant the youkai fully intended to die. Reluctantly He reached out and gripped the broad shoulders of the weakened demon and turned him towards the Fae King. His heart in his throat as he pleaded to the elder. "Please reconsider, if you rush into the fight again you won't make it."

" I do not plan on moving from this spot. Move yourself well behind me as I cannot guarantee your safety."

Those words caused the hairs on the back of Hitorri's neck to prick, he watched the youkai in amazement as he slowly took a bracing stance. The youkai holding the sword out beside him as he closed his eyes. Immediately the whelp could feel the sudden rise in Youki, it was not as strong as before, no doubt weakened from over use. But it was there and by the distinct humming sound that he heard, it was gathering in the sword.

Realizing the danger he quickly grabbed his case and retreated back from the concentrating demon. His wide eyes turning to the wolves that remained as he cried out. "Get out of here! All of you! Back off! "

Clawed hands gripped the hilt of the sword tightly, he could feel the vibration running through the weapon as his youki wrapped around it. This was a gamble for he had no idea how much the sword could take. He had no idea what the blade even looked like or what quality it was. Fingers flexed over the hilt as he continued to pour in the remaining youki he had, listening very carefully to the hum of the steel. When it came to just the right pitch he stepped forward and slashed the blade through the air as he snarled.

"KAZE NO KIZU!"

The wave of destructive power that erupted was weaker than he remembered, but enough to knock him back on his heels. He could not see the power but he could hear it as four lines of destructive energy tore through the earth like huge claws. Blasting debree in all directions as it cut a violent path through soil, skeleton and finally fire. Blasting through Asmodeus' spell with ease, even sweeping up the flames to take with it as it the deadly attack closed in on the Fae King.

So engrossed on his fight with Asmodeus the Fae did not see the wave of destruction until tore through the Demon King's magic and closed in. The Fae, much like the Leshy, was not very quick on his feet and was forced to make a desperate dive. Though it was ultimately too little, too late. The wave hit the large Fae and bowled him over with frightening strength. Before each line of destruction carved through the Fae's body, rendering it to jagged pieces.

Asmodeus was also unaware of the danger until it barreled in, sweeping death in it's wake as he retreated back. Narrowly missing being caught up in it and instead watched as the Faerie King took the full impact. The Demon Kings eyes followed the trail of terrible destruction to it's source. A horribly injured Dog demon that could barely remain standing. Around him he could feel the vines and green magic that ensnared him beginning to relax. A quick look to his remaining wolves showed that the skeletal monsters they were battling were dissolving into an all out retreat for the enchanted Fae wood.

Meanwhile Hitorri was dumb struck, he expected to see a blade attack. After all he basically felt all dog demons were capable of launching some sort of magic spawned attack from a weapon. But what he saw was a signature attack. Only one Sword that he knew of could execute this attack and he was quite sure that sword was still in the hands of the Hanyou that owned it! Unable to help himself he stared at the Ancient one before him, opening his mouth to question him. The words going unspoken as he watched the you kais body sink to back towards the ground.

Sinking heavily to his knees, he felt the last traces of the Kaze No Kizu's power ebbing away. By the sound of the destruction he'd found his mark and hopefully the attack ripped that monster to pieces. Sadly though he could not see the carnage and he was quickly losing his ability to hear it as well. The world around him was growing distant as he sunk further to the ground. Collapsing heavily to the dirt with a soft grunt. His thoughts drifting to the fact that it was over, the Fae King hopefully was dead. A smile crept to the youkai's face as he caught the faint sounds of Hitorri calling out desperately for him. The whelp's voice echoing further and further away as unconsciousness swept in to shut down his senses.

End Chapter 21


	22. End of an Era

Chapter 22 - End of an Era

He was sitting on a dusty floor, his form tucked into the corner where he had remained seated with his head bowed. The room was pitch black and silent, the air perfectly still, the walls that surrounded him were smooth and featureless. Hugging his knees while his fingers dug into the light cotton cloth of his pants that were dusty from the years spent there. Once again he found himself wondering as he had wondered many times before, how long he had been in this captivity? Telling the passage of time while in this void of uninterrupted darkness was impossible.

At one point he tried to measure the passage of time by how long his hair had grown since he last looked in a mirror. Unfortunately there was one small flaw to that theory; what was he? Youkai? He was nothing like his former glory. Human? What human could survive this? Something else? Then one day a clawed hand reached behind him, his fingers running through his tangled and dirty hair. Following the rough strands until the very ends slipped through his finger tips right by his knee. Slowly his rubbed his fingers together as his mind reeled with one thought.

If he was still a youkai then this length would be achieved in…nearly a century.

A hundred years sealed in this tomb. This should have frightened him, but sitting in this darkness and this silence left him empty. Uncaring. He didn't even remember when the last time he stood up was, or even spoke. Sometimes he could not tell when he was asleep or awake. In the constant darkness all he was left with was his thoughts and dreams that bled into his waking hours. Eating slowly away at the last few shreds of sanity he had left, while asking himself the same questions over and over again.

What had happened to him? Did this even happen to him? Was he really alive or was this what awaited him in death? He was constantly cold but he did not shiver nor fall ill, he never once remembered having a morsel of food or drop of water yet he felt neither hunger nor thirst. He would begin to accept that he was dead and this was hell. Yet he needed air and he could feel a pulse within is veins. He could still bleed and still shed tears, which only added to his confusion. He would settle on an answer only to ask more questions and the cycle of insanity would begin again. Drawing a soft breath from the stagnant air, he tilted his head back until he felt the smooth stone wall behind him.

He remembered his first day in this cell. Waking up on the floor and only aware that he had been moved by the fact that he felt dusty soil under him instead of the stone table that he'd been displayed on for who knew how long. The absolute darkness though disorientated him and due to that it took him a while to even realize he was wide awake...and could move!

With stiff limbs and a dizzy head he carefully rose to his feet and stretched out his arms. The rest of his body following right after in a series of pops and crackles as joints moved and muscle flexed for the first time in ages. What relief he felt through from finally regaining his mobility was dampened when his hand touched a wall of smooth stone. That sense vanished completely as he moved around the room, discovering that it was a scant eight by six feet and that no matter how much he searched he could not feel a door or a window. A growl rose in his throat when he banged his knuckles against the ceiling above his head. Though what anger he felt quickly shifted towards a sense of dread when he realized the ceiling which was just barely tall enough for his height was also as solid and featureless as the walls here.

In his rising panic he crouched down to all fours and began to investigate the floor next, pawing at what felt like dried dirt there, but after only an inch he hit solid stone once more. The realization came to him then that he was entombed alive here, though he questioned if he was even alive at the moment? Searching for an answer he pressed two fingers to his neck, quickly finding the soft pulse of his heart just below his skin. It brought no comfort to him though.

Rising back to his feet he intensified his investigation of the walls, knocking on them every few feet while his ear was pressed to the smooth stone. Listening carefully but never once picking up the sound that anything was hollow, perhaps his hearing was skewed here by the lack of any other sound? Even his foot steps were abnormally loud as he paced the walls like a caged lion. After he circled the room for the tenth time he came to a stop an gave a shuddering sigh. This was a sealed room, devoid of any sound or light or hope of escape.

No. There had to be a way out, obviously there was a way to put him in here! With renewed energy he balled a clawed hand into a fist and charged for the wall. If they did not leave me a door I will make my own! Was the thought going through his head as he slammed his fist as hard as he could into the smooth stone. The sound of cracking and popping brought a little smile to his face, until the pain suddenly shot up his arm! That wasn't stone he'd just broken it was bone! Every slender bone in his hand to be precise, gritting his teeth he drew his hand away to inspect the damage.

It was then that he felt something touch his face, icy cold fingertips just barely brushed along the jagged blue stripes on his cheeks. Forcing him to flinch at the sudden surprise and lash out with his claws, a snarl erupting from him as he continued to advance towards where he thought his enemy might be. Clawed fingers flexed as he blindly lashed out again, striking nothing.

"Where are you! Were you in here all this time you bastard!"

Like his foot steps his voice was much louder than he last remembered. Though that did not stop him from pressing his attack until his fist struck the stone wall.

Turning around he tilted his head up and sniffed at the air in vane. Instinctively his gaze searched the darkness around him for the source of the touch when that same soft voice whispered in his head.

"_Such a temper can be as dangerous as a sword, you must learn to sheath all your weapons when standing in my presence." _

Pushing away from the wall he continued to pace the room searching for his captor, only to flinch again as he felt cold fingers trying to touch his face. The youkai recoiling back as a beastly sounding growl rose around his commanding words. " Do not touch me you miserable little wretch!" He snapped the last few syllables irritably as that growl grew louder, all of his initial panic about arriving here replaced by pure fury. This fool was caging him like an animal and trying to pet him of all things! If he could only get a hand on his captor he'd show him what a terrible mistake he made crossing him!

" _You must understand that my hands will not harm you, seek them out and you will find comfort." _

"Unbelievable how you spit such venom after you tricked me into this trap! " He answered back in a low murderous sounding tone. " You forced me to witness my lover's death, you stole everything from me that had any meaning in my life. Do not try to force feed me lies that you mean me no harm! You've already caused me so much harm!" He gave up seeking his prey and crouched down onto the dirt covered floor, waiting to see if the fool would come to him instead. Bearing his fanged teeth as that soft voice continued to sound in his head.

"_You wished to escape death, I granted it as best I could. Your woman wished to spend her last moments with you and again I granted that wish as best as I could. Would you have wanted anything different?" _

The logic behind the voice was frustratingly accurate, he wanted to come back desperately. The wish he made was careless but his heart ached at leaving his beloved behind. He simply wanted to return and now he was thrust into a fate worse than he afterlife. "You kept me prisoner here ..." His growl had lost some of the fuel behind it as he closed his eyes. " ...kept me away from my family."

"_It was in your best interest as it was my regret that your physical body could not be retrieved, I needed to find an appropriate substitute. Unfortunately the process was a lengthy one. You were not finished recovering from the ritual, if I had let you free what would your son and wife think once they laid eyes on you?"_

For a moment he remembered what he looked like in the mirror. With short black hair and vibrant blue eyes, devoid of any demonic markings. They would not recognize him...that was the obvious answer. If he fled back to them his mate would never believe him, his son would not recognize him. He let his head hang a little as he exhaled, subduing his rage as he realized this horrible fate he fully brought upon himself. Mulling over that terrible realization he felt those cold fingers touching his face once more. This time he shied away and retreated to the corner instead of responding violently. There he sat down and glared into the darkness. Waiting for his captor to try again, though after several long minutes neither the voice nor the touch returned. Leaving him alone with his tortured thoughts.

Since that day he'd rarely heard anything more from his captor. Or perhaps he did and simply forgotten? There were times that he would hear that soft voice and feel the gentle touch. At first he simply turn his face away, sometimes he would get up and pace the room in a circle until the voice stopped. Then he would return to that corner to curl up. With his knees pulled to his chest and his head resting against them. While he was alone he would try to think of better days, recount sweet memories that bled into his dreams. Sometimes the memories turned bitter, dreams becoming nightmares. As time went on the dreams became worse than nightmares, shaking him to the core so badly that when his eyes flew open he found instant comfort in the silence of his dark cell.

In the century that he sat in that void his own mind became his worst enemy. Without any other stimulus all he could do was think and remember. Ponder the same questions, reminisce in his previous life and suffer as it all came back to haunt him. Leading him on a path to self destruction, leaving him unfeeling and uncaring of his state. One day he finally decided that he was not alive, no one could consider themselves to be alive based on breath and heartbeat alone. With that settled he finally accepted death and welcomed his tomb. Where he belonged.

When he next felt those cold fingers touching his face he was unsure weather he was awake or dreaming. This time he remained still and let them trace gently over the blue markings over his cheeks. This time he didn't seem bothered by them. This time when he heard that soft voice piercing the silence, he tilted his head a little against the hand that was there.

This time he surrendered.

…...

Reluctantly he began to awaken, little by little he became more aware of the world around him though he did not wish to open his eyes. Nor even move. The fear of where he was stopping him. Curiously the pain was gone but what replaced it was a very familiar cold that seeped into his bones. The chill of his 'death' wasn't it? This is the same chill he awoke to the first time on that stone slab hundreds of years ago. In the end he perished and was drawn back wasn't he? That dream was an indication wasn't it? His sense of smell returned to him then and brought with it the scents of dirt and stone, causing his heart to sink even more. Right at that moment, sleep sounded very welcoming, it was his last temporary escape from a reality he didn't want to face.

After all, his master was asleep wasn't he? Then he deserved to continue his slumber as well and hope the night terrors that plagued him for so long would leave him in peace. With that he willed his thoughts to silence and waited for the darkness to reclaim him once again. Then something caught the attention of his nose just as he was beginning to surrender back to unconsciousness. The very delicious smell of hot food.

The scent managed to bring his sleep fogged mind back from the darkness as he slowly recognized the scent as beef stew. Leaving him to wonder if this had to be a trick? There was no point in eating anything while he was back in his tomb. Someone had to be taunting him. Stubbornly he tried to ignore the scent, managing to succeed some when mouthwatering smell came back to him stronger than before. Turning his head away he renewed his efforts to ignore it when his body decided to defy him.

*Grummmmble-grooooooowwwwl!*

A clawed hand instinctively clapped over his protesting stomach but the damage had been done. That had to have been loud enough for anyone within a fifty foot radius to hear! Silently he cursed who ever was taunting him with that smell while he was so hungry, when realization hit. How could he be hungry? Normally when his pain was null like this his normal body functions that caused hunger and thirst were also shut off. Reluctantly he began to shift and opened his eyes a crack, the first sight to greet him was of grey and black colored fur. For a few moments he stared at it in confusion, realizing soon enough that he was laying on a fur lined bed and not a dirt floor. Letting his gaze wander he also realized the stone walls around him were rough. Drawing his clawed hands free he began to push the heavy fur blankets off of him when a booming voice to his side startled him!

"See? See my friend! Haa haa! Old Bahae's special stew iz so good it can raise the dead!" Old Bahae clapped at the shoulder of Hitorii, nearly causing the whelp to spill the huge bowl of food he was carefully balancing in one hand while fanning it's wonderful aroma towards the old youkai with a paper fan. With a sigh of relief Hitorii set the bowl down on the end table and moved closer to the bed side, ruining his finger tips over the youkai's forehead.

"You're finally awake, you had me scared for a while Furui." Hitorii scolded in a soft tone as his fingers continued to feel along the side of his patients face and over his neck. "During the night your core body temperature nose dived and never came back up. You're still very cold and clammy."

"Friend, let him eat and take a strong drink, the warmth will return to him then." The tone this time from the old man was softer, gentler than he remembered. Shifting again in the bed the youkai slowly began to push himself into a sitting position. As the blankets fell away he gazed down at himself, noticing that he was disrobed. Though in truth it didn't look like it really mattered, he was covered in bandages and gauze, some soaked through already with blood.

Snatching up a few pillows Hitorii helped prop him up as he commented. "He's probably right Furui, your demonic healing could use the sustenance after processing so much poison. You have to be famished anyway after such a hard fight." Once sure the youkai was comfortable in the furs he grabbed a spoon and the bowl of hot food to shove into his hands.

If the food didn't warm him up the embarrassment definitely would, he was not used to being coddled. Feeling the flush of red warming his face from Hitorii fusing over him, exhaling in relief once the whelp finished. Thankfully it was a short lived flush. One look into the steaming bowl of beef, potato's and carrots though made him forget all about his discomfort. Hitorii was right, he was very hungry and without any further coaxing began to dig in.

With another sigh of relief that his patient was on his way to recovery, Hitorii got to his feet and looked pleased. "Alright, I need to go check on my other patient. I'll be back soon Furui. " Gathering up his medical bag Hitorii shuffled his way out of the small room, leaving the old youkai alone with Bahae. Not that he even heard or noticed the whelp leaving as he contently consumed his hard earned dinner.

When the stew was finished the youkai was somewhat surprised and a little ashamed over how quickly he devoured his meal. After all he was not one to typically woof down his food. Drawing a deep breath to regain his composure he leaned over to set the empty bowl back on the night stand. Taking a moment to investigate the small, mostly featureless room he'd been placed in. At one point it must have been used for storage as there was a few barrels lining the wall. One of which had Bahae perched on top with what looked like a bottle of Vodka in his hand.

Old Bahae flashed him a partially toothed smile as he pushed off his seat and made his way towards the bed side. " You iz an interesting friend. " He began with a gentle tone while plucking up a glass off the night table. "The power I saw coming from that sword...no. Not the sword. Iz your power."

The youkai watched him quietly, not once volunteering an explanation as to what Bahae saw at the end of the battle. Bahae returned the youkai's look for a moment, but when no answer came he gave a shrug and bit into the top of the bottle. Pulling the cork out with his remaining teeth and mumbling around the spongy piece of wood as he filled the glass. " Drink this. It will help you purge the last of the pixie's poison." Sliding the glass to the edge of the night stand.

Old Bahae then locked his beady eyes on the youkai. " Tell me friend, what will you do now?"

Taking the glass carefully in his still shaky hand, he gazed to the clear contents within. It was not Vodka, his nose told him that much, in fact it smelled almost like tea. Taking the time to think of an answer he sipped at the brew and winced. It did not smell like the potent spirit, but it definitely BURNED like it going down! Hearing some snickering from the bed side he cast Behae an annoyed look as he fought back the urge to cough. Giving a last swallow to rid his mouth of that burn before he could answer. " I think I have caused enough damage here. I wish to see Vaan and the others, then I plan to take my leave."

It was going to be a tough decision to go through with, in the short time he was here in Russia he'd become attached to the boys. Especially Vaan who was in on his little secret for the longest time. Would they be alright with out their parents? His gaze softened as he looked at the cup in his hands. It was only the children and their sister now, would the little family be alright?

"Do you have children friend?"

The question caught him a little off guard, snapping out of his lowering mood he gazed over to Bahae and slowly nodded his head. " I have two."

"Any sons?"

Another nod.

Old Bahae gave a soft chuckle as he replaced the cork in the bottle. "I see it clear when friend speaks of the children. Perhaps Old Bahae can convince friend to stay?"

The thought of staying sounded so inviting, he could help take care of the two young boys. Live in peace or as close to it having werewolf neighbors would allow. His dream though reminded him of his reality. The life he possessed was not his to control, his fate was in someone else's hands. This freedom he had was temporary and the consequences of discovery were far too great. Slowly he bowed his head as he answered in a soft tone. " I would like nothing more, but that is impossible for me. It is dangerous for them or anyone to remain with me."

The expression on the youkai's face caused Bahae to pause and consider. If there was something this particular dog demon feared then it must indeed be quite dangerous. With a snuff the old man set the bottle in his hand aside. "Fine then, know well Friend that my son will take care of them in your absence. He wishes to take Tanya as his and the pretty Lady seems quite happy about it."

"Marchosias curse is broken then I assume." The smile that crept over the youkai's face was hard to miss. Lifting his head he directed that smile to Old Bahae who in truth was Asmodeus. A smile that was returned ten fold before Bahae gave a hearty sounding laugh.

"My Boy iz a stubborn one! Power, power power...iz all he want. Hundreds of years it take to make him learn his lesson. To embrace compassion and not power. Friend have you ever seen such a stubborn boy?"

The smirk on his face should have been answer enough for Bahae but just incase he did not see it the youkai still added. " I can relate. " His thoughts drifting to his first born, silently wondering what his fate ultimately was. Wondering if his quest for power had done him in or if he'd finally overcome it and accepted life for all that it offered? Hitorii's voice interrupted that thought a moment later as the whelp came back into the room carrying a bundle of clothes in his arms.

"Wow you ate that quick. If you want there is some venison roasting outside, I can get you a haunch to gnaw on. Here I got these for you as well, I hope they fit." The clothing was tossed onto the bed in a neat stack. What looked like a pair of warm looking brown pants and a blue flannel shirt. Hurriedly he raised his hands and waived off the offers of more food. The stew had settled in his stomach in a pleasant way. Piling on more food now would simply spoil it and make him feel like a glutton. Though he was a mess-maker, as he spilled a little of the liquid in the glass he was holding from the effort. Much to Bahae's chuckling.

Not too thrilled at the Demon kings humor at his expense he set the glass back on the night stand and eyed his Russian friend sternly. With another snicker Bahae got the silent message and flashed back a big grin to the two dogs. " If friends need anything, just call for Old Bahae!" That chuckle still going he waved to the pair before making his way out of the room. Much to Hitorii's relief. Rubbing the back of his head he shot the old Daiyoukai a curious look as he motioned to the glass.

"Believe it or not, whatever he has brewed up in that bottle really does help neutralize poison. I've been steadily feeding a little to you at a time since we got you here."

It still burned uncomfortably on the way down. Looking over to the glass sitting on the night stand he scrunched his nose and made a face. If it did help purge the poison though, a little burning could be tolerated. " He had me fooled considering how liberal he is about giving us drink"

"I'm not a drinker either because of my pop, he doesn't trust the stuff. Keeps telling me this story about his own father getting so drunk he passed out sitting up while meeting with a Daitengu as a deterrent." Hitorii smirked as he set his medical case down and popped it open. The old youkai's eye's widened as he froze, the glass still at his lips. He always suspected Hitorii to have been related and now he had his proof. His look of amazement softened as he smiled into the glass. Putting up a small argument in his defense.

"Not surprising, those bird men know how to distill a powerful drink. " A soft chuckle rumbled from him as he took another sip of his "medicine", still wincing a little from the burn that slid down his throat. Hitorii turned back to him and flashed his trademark smile. Holding a stack of fresh gauze and bandages in his gloved hands. At the sight he compliantly pulled the blankets down so that the whelp had access to his still weeping wounds.

"I've seen my grandfather before."

The whelp stated proudly as if he'd gone to see an important landmark. Focusing on the still bloodied wounds he completely missed the startled look on the old youkais face. Something the old youkai was quite thankful for as he composed himself and forced himself to chuckle.

"Oh? What kind of demon is he?"

"A very dead one."

Hitorii peeked up in time to see his flat look at that answer and flashed an apologetic smile before explaining. " I guess I should say I saw his grave but even dead he is impressive. His corpse is huge and his bones still radiate with strong youki. I know that traveling into the Demon's Grave Yard is dangerous but Pop wanted me to see Grandpa for myself. He wanted me to see a youkai that had reached his full potential." Hitorii stopped a moment to tear a piece of tape with a fang before he continued. " It's amazing, when Pop told me Grandpa was a Daiyoukai that controlled a huge swathe of the western lands I thought he was just trying to get me to raise my own expectations for myself. But after seeing the "Great Dog General" in the bones, I can see how he managed. At that size what could possibly contest him?"

"A really annoying dragon. " Came a low grumbled answer that he quickly drowned in the remains of his medicinal drink. Avoiding Hitorii's curious look. At first he was flattered by Hitorii's recount of the awe-inspiring visit to his grave but something in the explanation sounded a little wrong to him. Perhaps it was the bitter nostalgia of a life that slipped through his fingers? No...it was something else, some small detail that he could not put his finger on. But tried to anyway as he continued to coax Hitorii into talking more. "Your father must have inherited a very large territory, to maintain such an expanse he must be very powerful in his own right."

Hitorii paused a moment while carefully unwrapping a bandage around the old youkai's middle. His smile fading a moment as he looked lost in thought. With the realization that he was being watched he snapped out of it though and resumed his work. Leaving the youkai with a confused look on his face. A bandaged hand coming up to rub his face a little as he apologized softly.

"I'm sorry if I touched on a sensitive subject?"

"No...it's not you. I mean, I think I can say it to you. You're old enough to have had your own territory and could probably relate. My pop lost almost everything. Humans systematically pushed him out of his territory, tore down the shiro he was living in even Grandmother's mystic castle vanished without a trace. A lot has happened to him and he's not really coped too well. He lives in Tokyo for right now, in a traditional style complex that is big enough to keep the humans far away from him."

An uncomfortable silence fell between the two dogs, Hitorii not offering to say anything more as he kept himself busy with changing his patients bandages. The old youkai on the other hand was preoccupied by his own thoughts, he had sympathy for his eldest. Demons are an old race that are dependent on humans in one form or another. Humans created demons through their desire, fear, torment, lust and love. As time flowed science gradually replaced magic in the minds of most and demons were steadily disappearing. Sesshoumaru had a belief that everything had to be a certain way, everyone had a place in life and all of those places followed a strict hierarchy. In his eldest's mind, a humans place was well below his stature.

Pain shot through his chest as Hitorii pressed a gauze over a puncture wound, the whelp giving him an apologetic look. Slowly he let out a breath he was not aware he was holding and regarded Hitorii. The whelp had managed to adapt quite well, it was an amazing realization when he took the time to think about it. Hitorii thrived among the humans while he learned from them, combining their science with his magic. What an amazing demon this whelp. His grandson.

A warm feeling came over his heart at the word 'grandson', he had been suspecting it from the moment he spied that crescent moon. But now to confirm it brought a warmth through him that chased the chill of fatigue away and put a little smile on his face. A smile that turned bitter a moment later, he knew this was his grandson but there was no way he could tell Hitorii that. Not when the whelp last saw his Grandfather while he was 'very dead'.

'_" You are dead to them all."'_

Hitorii felt the youkai tense suddenly benieth his finger tips, his gold eyes flicking up to the youkai's face in concern. "Furui...do you want me to give you something for the pain?"

Golden eyes locked on one another for a moment, the youkai slowly relaxing as he pushed those cold words away. Only to realize that they would not go, he could not forget them, he could not dismiss them...because they were the truth. Here he had found a member of his family and they believed him dead. There was nothing he could do about it, to say who he was would open an Pandora's box and put all their lives at risk. His expression softened as he slowly shook his head no to Hitorii's offer. There was nothing he could give to dull this pain.

The old youkai's inner turmoil did not go unnoticed by Hitorii, despite the older demons effort to hide it. The whelp flashed him a skeptical look as he finished clipping the last bandage into place. Shaking his head as he stood back up and pulled the gloves off. "You're almost ready for transport, soon as you can get dressed we'll go."

"Go?" That thoughtful look was replaced by one of curiosity as he stared at the whelp, a clawed hand slowly pulling the blanket back over himself. "Are you planning to take me somewhere? What of Bran and Vaan?"

Tucking the used gloves into a small biohazard bag Hitorii flashed him a bright smile. "Back to the house, where else? I'm great full for Bahae's hospitality but you're going to recover much better in a sterile bed that's far away from a bottle of Vodka." He gave a chuckle as he turned to finish packing back up. "Bran is stable, the medicine he was given so far is working but he's going to need to go to a hospital to finish recovering. Tanya right now is making arrangements. Vaan is fine but I think he's driving his sister crazy because he wants to see you. "

That curious look was still planted on his face, he was relieved to know Bran had survived the horrible poisoning at the Fae's hands. But he was terribly confused as to why Hitorii wanted to bring him back home. It was the little bit of information about Vaan though that brought a small smile back to his face. Relaxing once more he reached out to pick up the flannel shirt to inspect. " It will be hard saying goodbye to that child. So much has changed from the moment he lay eyes on me in the town. "

"Say goodbye? We're not leaving town anytime soon Furui, not until Marchosias is recovered enough to protect the area from the Fae. You're staying with us if you don't mind." The lid of the medical case came down with a _clunk! _Hitorii plucking up the case in his hand before gazing over to him. "Besides...if you disappeared now Sakagami would have my head. He still needs your help remember? The poor man really wants to break the curse the Inu no Obake put on his ancestor."

Being reminded about Sakagami's plight made him feel a little guilty. He had completely forgotten about the silver-eyed man who's destiny was to die at the jaws of the dog demon his ancestor summoned hundreds of years ago. The guilt though was welcoming as it helped him accept his sad situation. He knew about his son's fate, he knew about his grandson as well, he should be content with this knowledge. That did not dismiss his plan though to one day leave, simply delayed it for a while.

"Get dressed Furui, I'll be back to help you to the car." Hitorii smiled as he slipped out of the room, leaving him alone with his thoughts. With a soft sigh he looked back to the clothing sitting at the foot of the bed. In the time it took for his grandson to slip out of the room a heavy feeling settled in the pit on his stomach. The kind of feeling one developed when there was something terrible on the horizon and he wasn't too sure where it could be coming from. He knew better than to ignore this feeling, but until the reason manifested itself there was nothing he could do.

"No rest for the wicked." He muttered softly to himself as he threw back the covers and slowly gathered up his clothing. Flinching as his wounds protested to the movement needed to pull a loose fitting white undershirt on. Breathing a sigh of relief to have a much easier time slipping on the blue flannel. Having to double over to slip his pants and socks on though was torture, when it was time to pull on his boots he was ready to go back to bed. Breathing a little mushroom sigh he pushed himself to his feet, testing his own stability after being bed bound so long. After a few minutes of wobbly steps his became accustomed to moving around once again. With a little amused smile he ran a clawed hand through his long and unbound hair and looked around for his shoulder bag.

He did not see it anywhere; much to his dismay. It was absent from the room, a quick search of the perimeter and end table confirmed that. The clothing he wore into battle was also missing which made him worry a little. The garments were no doubt in tatters by now but he had artifacts in his pockets. Were they lost to him now? With the thought of having to find his way back to China while unable to hide his demonic features in mind he made his way out the door of the small room. He instantly recognized the common room he stepped out into, though this time it had a few more people in it. Some men were gathered around one of the tables holding mugs and talking, while Old Bahae sat near one of the large barrels of drink. Near the entrance a werewolf lay curled up on sentry duty, looking up lazily as the heavy wooden door opened and Hitorii scuttled through.

Old Bahae was the first to catch sight of him, the demon kind idly stroking his charm laden beard as he grinned. "Iz good friend! Up already? HA! Iz magic of Old Bahae's beef stew! Come! Come friend and have a drink with Old Bahae!"

" Whoa now old man! That dog is not well enough to drink, Doctor's orders!" Hitorii quickly interjected as he rushed over to the Youkai, inserting himself between the two demons as if he expected vodka projectiles to start flying.

"Bah! Young one Iz you who needs the drink! Put hair on your chest!"

" I can't grow hair on my chest no matter what I drink..."

"Hitorii, are you saying you've tried? "

*twitch*..."You're not helping Furui!"

The fur along Hitorii's moko and back puffed up on end as the two older demons broke out into a fit of laughter. Only to find a little bit of sadistic satisfaction when the old dog's guffaw was quickly followed by a groan of pain as he wrapped his arms around his chest. With a huff Hitorii turned around and took a hold of the old dog's arm, leading him off to a bench as he scolded. "Serves you right, you're in no shape to be moving around too much, Furui."

"I moved only a few feet whelp! " He shot back as he let himself be eased down onto the bench and breathed a sigh of relief. " How did you expect me to reach the vehicle? There is no way in the seven hells I would let anyone carry me! " He flashed Hitorii a stern look that the whelp bravely tried to match when the heavy door creaked open again and a young voice called out excitedly.

"Wakalek is awake!" Vaan pushed passed the door and ran for the two dogs, jumping up onto the bench and hugging the youkai, despite Hitorii's warnings about his wounds. In his own childish way Vaan heard the warnings but only heeded them after he finished what he came to do. The youkai giving a chuckle after recovering from the initial shock of the flying hug. Returning it gently before letting the child sit down on the bench beside him. He was about to ask Vaan how the rest were doing when the door was shoved open again.

The man that stepped in looked to be around six feet tall, he was clad in old world leather armor over a tunic and knee high boots. His long dark hair and beard were gathered up into thick braids with silver charms woven in. Despite the medieval look he had a young face and bright moon colored eyes that gave him away almost instantly. Marchosias gazed off to Old Bahae first, giving him a nod before his eyes wandered to the two dogs. As he stepped through the door Tanya slipped her way in behind him, she was dressed warmly in a fur lined coat and pants. Looking all the more vibrant after cleaning up and resting, though she still showed a few bruises from her time in the Underhill.

The old youkai looked over to the couple as they approached, realizing that they were probably here to say goodbye before taking Bran away to the hospital. It was a strange feeling knowing that in a few minutes they were going to part ways. Vaan reached over to tug at his sleeve, gaining his attention as he asked happily. "Wakalek, did you hear? Bran is going to be okay! We bring him to the city hospital but he's going to be okay! Will you come with us?"

"Vaan, you heard Mr. H, Wakalek is too hurt still, he needs to go back to Mr. H's house to heal." Tanya advised her hyperactive brother as she shook her head. Her hand gently clasping around Marchosias as she smiled bravely.

"But he can come back when he's well right?" Vaan frowned a little at his sister's explanation, in his little mind he still wondered why they could not bring their 'pet dog' to the hospital too if he was so injured. Dismissing his sister's response the young boy turned back to the wakalek with a big smile. Which melted away the moment he saw the youkai's sad expression.

"I'm sorry Vaan. I will remain with 'Mr. H' until I am well enough to move on."

"...WHY!"

The yell made him jump, which also made him groan as his injuries protested. A clawed hand came up to rub at his side as he stared at Vaan. The child's face was reddening as he became upset, tears were welling in his eyes. Vaan looked ready to yell again when Tanya snapped a warning to him. The youkai gazed up and waved off a hand to the young woman, signaling that he would handle this before he leaned down to Vaan's eye level.

" I'm sorry Vaan. I traveled to this northern land to try and find others of my kind. Fate though had something else in store for me and steered me to your house. I never knew it myself but it seems I was sent there to fight the Faeries that had your family."

Vaan's eyes slowly drew to the floor of the earth home, the boy plucking at his sleeve quietly as he sniffled. A soft yet sad expression came over the youkai's face as he continued. " I wish to return to my kind, to my...home." That last word did not roll off his tongue well, he knew it was a lie, he did not really have a home right now. Vaan though seemed reluctant to accept his explanation and scuffed his boots together.

"Vaan, He is a Wakalek. They travel alone to where they are needed, he came and helped you. Now he must go on his way to help someone else. If you forced him to stay here, would it be fair to the others who need him?" Marchosias words came out in a smooth and gentle tone to the child. Vaan looking up a little to his sister and her new Fiancé. The youkai caught on a little and smiled as he leaned over and tried to further smooth the child.

"This does not mean I will never come back Vaan. I must come visit again in the future, so I can make sure the Bodark are treating you well." A gentle smile came over his face despite the weird look Marchosias was flashing him. Vaan looked over to him then and gave a sniffle as he fought back tears. Putting on a brave smile as he nodded.

"Vaan is going to help the Bodark fight the faeries!" The boy said proudly as he looked over to the Grand Marquis. Whose expression darkened a little more until Tanya nudged him with an elbow. The couple eyed one another a moment before they both gave into a gentle bout of laughter. The youkai watched them for a moment, happy that things worked out in the end.

He also realized how envious he was, it was a silly notion and he knew this was no place for it. Yet he couldn't help it and chuckled at his own selfishness as he closed his eyes. I hope you can do what I could not, keep her close to you and treasure her. He wished silently for the couple, feeling a sense of relief a moment later when Hitorii cleared his throat.

"We should go now, Furui here is still suffering the effects of the poison and injuries. I need to take him home so he can be nursed back to health. " The whelp looked between the gathered folks and put on a brave smile.

Tanya reached a hand out for her brother to take. " We too should be going, the truck we need to bring Bran to the city is waiting outside." Vaan meanwhile ignored his sister's hand for a moment and snuck one more hug around the old youkai's middle. Looking up with a mischievous smile as he whispered.

"Wakalek's secret is still safe with me! Come back soon okay?" Well, the secret was safe he assumed since the entire bodark pack and the child's remaining family knew what he was. There was no one else for Vaan to tell the secret to. Giving a smile he ruffed the boys hair a moment before his sister took a hold of the child's arm and pulled him off to her side. The young woman's eyes focusing on him a moment later.

"Thank you Wakalek. I'm sorry for the way I acted when I first saw you. Without your strength we'd not all be here." Her smile was bright as she thanked him, though the youkai found the moment to be bitter sweet. Silently he wished he could have saved their mother, had he only been quick enough. Dismissing the thought he nodded to her as he felt Hitorii's hands clasping around his arm to help him up.

"Take care of yourselves and try to stay out of trouble." The youkai returned her smile though he knew it was nearly impossible to stay out of trouble when one lived with werewolves. Once on his feet Hitorii tossed a blanket over his shoulders, forcing him to spend a moment fumbling about to grab it before it fell to the floor. His gaze flicking to the whelp when he noticed something dangling off his shoulder. "Is that my pack?"

"I had to pull it off of you to treat your wounds. I stuffed a few other things I found in your old clothes in here. " As proof he shook the bag enough for it to give a satisfying rattler sound before he dropped it back on his shoulder. "I'll give it to you in the car. I don't want you to carry anything while walking just yet."

Hitorii's grip returned to his arm and for a moment he felt like an old man, needing someone at his side to help him walk. The idea caused a drop of sweat to roll down his brow as he breathed a soft sigh. "Alright then Hitorii, lets be on our way then. " There was a little disgruntled tone to his words but it was either missed or ignored by the whelp.

As the two dog demons made their way towards the door, Vaan's voice rose up from behind him. The boy waving his hand in the air as he called out. "Bye Wakalek!" Vaan's sister also calling out her good bye's followed by a few others. Even Bahae raised his glass in salute as he waved. The old youkai looked back and returned their waves before Hitorii opened the door for him. The youkai following the whelp out into the gently falling snow. Hoping beyond anything, that he could some day return.

…...

Traveling in a car was still something he wasn't very accustomed to. Granted riding in a bouncy, sliding, and jostling Jeep over a snow covered road through the woods was probably not the greatest experience. Never mind the fact that the unavoidable turbulence was not doing his injuries any favors. Hitorii though was doing everything within his power to limit that. Driving slowly through the Russian forest he found himself gazing into his mirror at the youkai resting in the back seat. Staring out the window while wrapped in a warm blanket, he seemed lost in his thoughts.

The youkai still felt a sense of loss after leaving Vaan and the others; he knew it was foolish of him but he almost wished he could stay. It was impossible though, the reason why he could not stay with the Kaerkviche's is the same reason why he would one day disappear from Hitorii's home. Though that filled him with dread as well. The Whelp was an interesting demon, the only one of his kind to not be violent or power hungry. Hitorii liked to laugh and had a happy go lucky personality, it was almost puppy-like. It was easy for him to feel content living with the strange whelp, he even allowed himself to day dream about it. Until reality cast a dark cloud over his thoughts.

He did not belong here.

"Hey, Furui...do you know how to sing?"

It took a moment for him to notice the question, so concentrated was he on feeling gloomy that when the Whelp spoke it shattered his train of thought. Gazing over he arched a brow and muttered. "I beg your pardon?"

"I asked if you know how to sing."

"Well, who doesn't? Though I really never made a hobby out of it."

"Ha! So you can! I can take you singing with me!"

"W-wait a moment there whelp! I only know the battle songs of old, what warlords would sing as they prepared themselves for the fight."

"So then all you know how to sing is Folk songs? Shame, drop your voice enough and you could manage a Barry Manilow."

"A who...?" The enthusiasm on Hitorii's face frightened him so much he began to take back the thought that he could live with this whelp! Golden eyes narrowed on Hitorii as the youkai grumbled in a low voice. "What do you plan to do with me?"

"Nothing right now, you are pretty bruised up. But I have a Karaoke Machine at the house and some tapes of some J-pop hits! No one ever wants to sing with me, Sakagami needs to be dragged kicking and screaming."

Just like a puppy. Shaking his head a little he began to chuckle and instantly paid for it, his cracked ribs reminding him of his current condition. Drawing a deep breath he smothered the urge to laugh and leaned back against the seat to relax. " That cannot be true, I am sure there are others who would love to sing with you."

"Like who? Only other person I could ask was my Dad. I spent years asking him to sing and he'd never do it." Hitorii huffed a little as he thumped his fingers over the steering wheel in irritation.

For a brief moment he remembered that time a few days ago, where Hitorri was drunk and hobbling through the woods belting out lyrics whenever he could. He pictured Sesshoumaru trying the same thing, trying to sing his heart out to an audience. Biting his lower lip he tried to bring himself under control, making little strangled sounds that made Hitorii peer back at him in concern. Desperately he tried to dismiss that image, tried to stop himself from imagining what he sounded like and in the end...failed utterly.

"Haaa! Ha ha ha -OW! Haa haa hah haaa! -OW-OW!"

The pain was excruciating but that didn't stop the laughing fit until ran it's full course and left him doubled over on the back seat. Giving a groan of agony in the wake of it all and making Hitorii worry up a storm in the front seat. He remained laying there for the rest of the car ride back to the house, the jeep pulling up the long drive way when something caught Hitorii's eye. Hissing an uncharacteristic curse he hit the breaks and nearly sent the old youkai tumbling to the floor of the jeep. With an irritated sounding growl he slowly pushed himself back up into a sitting position and eyed the whelp sternly. Only to follow his line of sight out to the driveway where a nice looking black sedan was parked.

"Looks like you have company. " He voiced the observation in a soft tone as he reached for his shoulder bag and began pawing through it for his necklace. Thinking nothing more of the car's significance until Hitorii commented in a soft tone.

"I know who this is. " The whelp slowly lifted his foot off the break pedal and let the jeep slowly cruise into the driveway. Coming up beside the black sedan before being brought to a stop, Hitorii killing the engine and quickly opening the door of the jeep. Forgetting to shut it again as he made a break for the house. Leaving the youkai to stare in wonder, his eyes following the young demon as he made it up to the door and practically flung it open. Calling out for Sakagami as he bolted inside the house, the sound of fear in the whelp's voice made him realize this was not good.

Reaching into the trunk he grabbed a spare sword Hitorii stowed there and opened the jeeps door to step out onto the fresh snow. The cold Russian air cut through his flannel shirt as he tossed the blanket back into the vehicle and cautiously closed the door so he'd not be easily heard. Shivering a moment he pulled his bag over his shoulder and gripped the sword tightly as he started for the house.

Hitorii had to stop himself from sliding over the polished wooden floor on his wet boots. He gazed around the house hurriedly for any sign of his friend, only to spot his father sitting comfortably on an easy chair. A book in his hands and a near emotionless look on his face as he regarded his son. When the initial shock of seeing his sire wore off Hitorii quickly plucked his hat off his head and flashed the a happy smile.

"Hi dad. You're here really early, did you have a good trip?"

To the casual observer it looked like Sesshoumaru was completely ignoring the young dog demon standing in the parlor. The Taiyoukai was a demon of few words but he made up for it by offering many subtle clues. When he closed his eyes and gave a little sigh Hitorii's smile brightened, no complaints meant the trip was fine. But when his father's eyes opened again and flashed the whelp a sharp look he knew the unspoken question immediately. Hitorii's eyes rolled quickly to the open door that the wind was rushing through. Carrying in snow in the wake of the old Inu Gami that was approaching the house. His smile died down as he realized that this would be a difficult next few minutes.

Hitorii fully expected some friction between the two, both were very old and very dominant dog demons. It was expected that the tension would rise the moment the two lay eyes on each other. One would need to succumb to the other and Hitorii could not imagine either of them doing that. A drop of sweat rolled down his brow as he spied the dark shape of the Furui stepping through the door way. This was it, the deciding moment, it could end with a look or it could end with blood shed. Hitorii fully braced himself for the dominance struggle to begin any second now. A quick look to his father though caused the whelp to stop and stare. This, he did not expect to see. A look of shock on his father's face.

The brutally cold wind was absolutely punishing as he crossed the short distance between the Jeep and the front door. Just as he reached the entrance a strong gust of wind whipped up enough snow to white everything out. Causing him to raise his arm and shield his eyes. It never stopped snowing for long in this land, it was amazing how everything was not completely buried under an ever thickening blanket of snow! That little observation was pushed to the back of his mind as he finally reached the door way and retreated inside. Closing the door behind him, shutting out that terrible biting wind as he gave a sigh of relief. Reaching up he brushed his snow encrusted silvery hair out of his face before gazing off to parlor.

Where two sets of golden eyes met his.

One set had an chilling look, cold as steel and unreadable. Sesshoumaru's eyes remained locked on him as he slowly rose from the overstuffed chair. For a moment he couldn't help marveling over his eldest son, after hundreds of years he had grown into quite a fine youkai. The feeling of pride began to well within him but the look on his son's face was a sobering reminder of what was happening at this moment. Sesshoumaru suddenly became aware of the look he was giving and with a dangerous gleam to those cold golden eyes, quickly composed himself. The Taiyoukai straightened himself up, his narrowed gaze unwavering.

What do I do now? Everything he had been ever told, every word his master drilled into his mind about his family forgetting about him, how he would never be able to return to his family. All of it echoed in his head as he stared back at his eldest son, the words began to fade as a small sense of hope began to kindle within him. In those few seconds of silence he dared to think that his master was wrong. In fact, he began to feel bold enough to try and prove him wrong! Keeping his eyes locked on his son's he took on a noble pose with his head held high. His own face emotionless as he regarded Sesshoumaru silently.

For a few tense moments, Daiyoukai and Taiyoukai only stared at each other.

Neither one moved, neither spoke and neither broke eye contact. Sesshoumaru quietly studied him for a long time. A spark of emotion flashing in his eyes as a conflicted look crossed briefly over his otherwise smooth face. A mask he refused to put down, even though his hands were balled into tight fists at his sides. The heavy silence was broken with three little words.

"Who are you?"

The question was not too surprising, really now how could he expect his son to believe what he was seeing without questioning it. It was the liquid nitrogen cold tone that he used that sent a chill down the old you kais spine. A brief look of pain crossed his face as he wondered how he could answer that? What were the consequences? He wanted to answer him out right, but something deep within stopped him. Drawing in a deep breath he gave up his dominant air and picked his words carefully and answered back in a gentle tone. "Who I am is what you see before your eyes. Nothing more."

" What I see is an imposter, someone who has taken the very visage of my sire, who I am one-hundred percent certain still rests in his grave." Sesshoumaru's words were as cold as ice and cut through the old youkai in such a horrible way that he flinched. With a predator's grace the Taiyoukai started towards his opponent, his face still locked in a mask of calm despite the murderous look in his eyes. "I will not ask you again...who are you?"

Quickly recovering from his moment of weakness he allowed his own golden eyes to narrow on the approaching demon. The grip around the sword in his hand tightened as he let a soft growl rumble in his throat. " If you refuse to believe what you see then so be it." Giving a snuff he broke eye contact long enough to gaze to the terrified looking whelp who was watching this all with wide eyes." My apologies Hitorii, but perhaps it is best if I be on my way."

As he turned towards the door though he found Sesshoumaru was right there in his way, blocking his exit with an outstretched hand. The Taiyoukai cast a cold glare up at the Daiyoukai who returned it fully. The Old Dog glaring down at his son with just as much intensity, until he noticed that pencil thin brow twitch. A look of amusement dared to show on his face, until he quickly smothered it.

Some things never changed. Despite the fact that Sesshoumaru was easily around a thousand years of age by now, he hadn't grown an inch since the last time the Daiyoukai saw him. As it was right now, he stood a good six inches taller than his first born. Allowing him to look down on his eldest in an intimidating way and it looked like Sesshoumaru was not happy about it. Under normal circumstances it would have amused him, but he knew better. Right now all it did was add another splash of gasoline over an already raging fire within the Taiyoukai.

"An imposter like you will not leave here until we are finished. You will answer my questions. What is your purpose? A ghost to mock me? Some trickery to degrade me? To what ends have you beguiled my son?" Once more those cold words rang out although this time they hit a wall before reaching the Daiyoukai. A wall of pure anger.

Somethings never changed indeed. Despite the fact that Sesshoumaru was easily around a thousand years of age by now he was still a stubborn, bullying, egomaniac, short sighted and shorter tempered fool that he always remembered him to be! That growl deepened as it shifted from his throat to his chest as he leered over his son, a nasty light shimmered in his golden eyes. " What makes you think you deserve to be Mocked or degraded by a "ghost" ? You answered your own question _**PUP! **_Believe what you wish!"

It was the Taiyoukai's turn to flinch, his golden eyes widened somewhat as he stared at the Daiyoukai. The fact that this monstrosity dared refer to him as a pup became evident as his normally smooth face twisted into a look anger. The look lasted only a minute before Sesshoumaru managed to compose himself once more. His face becoming smooth and unreadable once again. "Hitorii. Leave."

The whelp snapped from his terrified look at the coaxing of his fathers words. A visible shiver running over him as he stepped back, hearing the tiniest tinge to his fathers voice. A warning that things were about to get really bad and he needed to find Sakagami quickly! His gaze turned to the Furui as he backed up, his mind reeling over what he just heard. The initial plan was to keep the ancient one here until his father could identify him, but this blew his mind away. He almost fell over when the heel of his boot caught the rug, causing the whelp to scramble and turn. Taking off running for a back door and leaving the two demons alone in the parlor.

"I see what you are now, how clever." Sesshoumaru's words took on a chilling tone once more though right then they failed to penetrate the aura of hot anger surrounding the Old Youkai. If he son wanted a reaction he did not get it as he held his position and remained stern.

"You are a mockery sent to taunt me. An image of my father to haunt me, to force me to show how much I've loathed him." A thin smile slowly drew over the Taiyoukai's face as his hand slid down the door knob. "You stand before me as a reminder, that this Sesshoumaru has surpassed the Inu no Taishou in age alone. After years of puzzling over his intentions, of surviving his tests yet I have failed to achieve what he has." That smile spread into a truly terrifying grin. "How near my time looms; yet I am not fit to stand within my father's shadow."

The anger vanished around him, smothered by the icy cold that rose from Sesshoumaru. Like pile of Russian snow thrown down over a fire. He stared at his son in growing awe as the confession came out of nowhere and the whelp's words ran through his mind. Chilling him to the core far worse than any arctic wind.

_'He wanted me to see a youkai that had reached his full potential...'_

That was what bothered him! The whelp's words pierced through his skull like an alarm bell ringing in the night. A soft hiss rose from the door followed by the pungent smell of acid, he did not need to see the door knob that was currently dripping on the floor. His eyes were instead locked on Sesshoumaru's face as his emotionless tone developed an edge of cold rage.

" I have done everything you have ever asked of me FATHER! Yet still you leer down at me from the grave while you stand as a pillar of power. Such unimaginable power that this Sesshoumaru, your son, will never reach. What secrets did you hide from me? "

As Sesshoumaru's voice rose the Daiyoukai took a step back. This was too much even for him, the way his son spat his venomous words made him believe that this was not the first time he'd spoken it. How many times had he recited this curse over his head? How long had this hatred bubbled deep within his son's heart? Involuntarily he retreated back another step, something Sesshoumaru instantly picked up on as he closed in further.

"Now an Inugami rises, wearing your appearance, or is that really you trying to overcome death? " The chuckle that rose from Sesshoumaru made the hair on the back of the Daiyoukai's neck stand on end.

As quickly as he retreated back his son drew closer, until his back hit the wall. Breaking into a cold sweat he slowly reached over to grip the hilt of the sword. Noticing then that his hand was shaking. This pup. This son of his. It did not matter if he believed who he was or not, the hatred rolling off of him was overwhelming. Frantically he thought back to his years spent raising this pup, what could he have done to warrant such rage? He showed Sesshoumaru nothing but love, he imparted to him everything he knew. What could he have missed? Looking back, all he could see was a puppy of seven summers, reaching his little hands up to him in a silent plea to be picked up.

The smell of acid burned through that mental image as it nearly burned him had he not dove out of the way at the very last second. Pain wracking his body as his wounds protested the sudden movement, despite that he managed to roll to his feet and look back. Sesshoumaru had both hands raised and the venomous payload they unleashed instantly seared a large hole in the wall.

The venom posed the greatest danger to him. The Daiyoukais body was still not fully recovered from the Fae's poisons. To suffer another strong dose of venom now, could potentially kill him. Just another advantage Sesshoumaru had over him at that moment.

Rolling to his feet he quickly drew up the sword in a defensive position, letting his youki unfurl to envelop it. Only it was not fast enough as a venomous whip lashed out to snap the weapon in half, sheath and all. Hissing a curse he dropped the broken weapon in time to see Sesshoumaru coming right for him. His raised clawed hand surrounded in a green glow that was all too familiar. Pivoting on his heel at the last moment he lashed out with his own clawed hand to grab the wrist of his son. Stopping the youkai from running him through but not stopping his momentum!

Their bodies collided taking the old youkai right off his feet and sending him crashing down onto a piece of furniture. Smashing it smithereens. Giving a snarl his body spazimed under the renewed pain. Blood oozing from re-opened wounds and seeping through his bandages. Blood he could easily smell and knew his son could to. Giving a gasp as his ribs protested he struggled out of the pile of broken wood only to feel Sesshoumaru bear down on him. A clawed hand came down over his face and slammed his head back onto the floor.

Grabbing the Taiyoukai's wrist in an effort to pry him off the old youkai felt his son's weight shift. No doubt raising his other hand to impale him. He could not see the youkai but the near frenzied tone that rose with one word caused his blood to run cold.

"Die…"

Instinctively his knee came up hard into his son's gut, his clawed fingers tore into the youkai's wrist as his body violently twisted to the side to knock his attacker off balance. Sesshoumaru's hand was pried off his face a second later but not without his claws slicing five red ribbons over it. There was no way he could see himself winning this fight. The injuries he currently bore were putting him at a terrible disadvantage. There was little point to this fight, Sesshoumaru's mind would not be changed with a single brawl. There was only one option, to escape.

Easier said than done. He'd only barely managed to knock Sesshoumaru off of him when he felt his son's venomous claws sear over his back. A desperate roll spared him from a severed spine. Every one of Sesshoumaru's strikes were meant to strike something vital, were meant to kill.

Keeping his youki flared he scrambled away from the youkai, managing to get up onto a knee when he saw that whip once again! With a sweep of his clawed hand he unleashed a fanning wave of blades to slice through the whip and everything else around it! Sesshoumaru gracefully dancing out of the way just in time. Landing lightly on his feet before coming right back for the Inugami.

Growling angrily the old youkai dove behind a chair and slammed a foot against it, sending the furniture flying at his son. A blast of venom reduced it to a sizzling heap before it even hit the floor, only managing to slow him down for a moment. Giving the Daiyoukai the chance he needed, he followed his first sweep with a second sweeping attack from his other clawed hand. This time the blades of youki shot into the ceiling. Smashing it to pieces and causing it along with everything on the floor above it to come crashing down over his son.

Dust and dabris flew through the air in a thick cloud. Some of it managed to get him as he tried to get out of the cave-in's way. Hacking up dust and sporting a few more cuts he started for the windows. Hoping Sesshoumaru would be kept busy long enough to let him escape. He began to whisper an apology to Hitorii for destroying his house when he felt searing hot pain circling his neck. Golden eyes widened as his head snapped back so violently it took him right off his feet.

It was a miracle that his son's whip did not take his head clean off, as it was he could feel the venom eating through his skin. Feel blood spurting as the whip dug into an artery. Clawed hands grabbed the whip before his son to yank and clung desperately as crimson quickly engulfed his golden eyes. The whip dematerialized as his youki flared all around him, surrounding him in a blue light.

Sesshoumaru's face twisted into a furious look as he released the whip and used his innate speed to rush for the downed imposter. Venom engulfed both clawed hands as he came down on the glowing ball of blue. He would not allow this fraud to escape, this thing's existence would end now! Bearing down on his victim he sent both clawed hands down. Only to freeze when he sensed the impending danger.

Sesshoumaru's head narrowly escaped the Daiyoukais vicious jaws by a hair. Large canine jaws with oversized fangs snapped loudly in front of his nose. The Taiyoukai violently reversing course as he felt hooked claws tearing through one of his legs. A hiss rising from him as he landed in a three point crouch and glared daggers at the dog demon that rolled to his feet. Even as a canine this monster looked like his father. Although the dog's size was absolutely laughable.

The Daiyoukai quickly took a defensive pose on all fours, his crimson eyes locked on his son as he bared his fangs. His white fur was on end despite being matted with blood from wounds worsened by his transformation. Despite his size though the roar that erupted from him was thunderously loud. Anyone with a lesser resolve would have fled at such a roar, but Sesshoumaru was not just anyone.

When he saw crimson light shining from his son's eyes he knew this fight was over. As green light enveloped his attackers form the Daiyoukai quickly turned on a hind leg and bolted quickly for the window. Feeling his son's youki expanding so rapidly behind him. Was he MAD? This parlor was not big enough for dog his size! The feel of venomous youki and the smell of acid came flooding over him seconds before he crashed through a window. Hitting the snow without breaking stride he raced into the raging snow storm!

The front of the house buckled outwards before practically exploding a moment later. Sesshoumaru's youki enveloped form charging out before hitting the ground and finishing his transformation. The huge dog that rose from the fading light gave a monstrous sounding roar as venom dripped from his jaws. Crimson eyes flashed dangerously as he searched the forest. Only finding wind driven snow as the storm answered back with a furious howl of it's own. The snow ultimately was his defeat, it blurred out his vision, it muddled scents from his nose and it erased the tracks of his fleeing prey.

In fury and frustration Sesshoumaru threw back his head and gave another, murderous sounding roar.

A Promise.

Chapter 22 - end.


	23. Koinu

Chapter 23: Koinu.

"It has been almost a year with little progress to report I am sorry to say."

Hua Tong sighed softly as he gazed down to his tea cup, quietly watching the fragrant steam as it rose. His thumb caressing the brim thoughtfully. " We ultimately learned little from his trip to Russia." He confessed with a soft sigh as he sunk in his seat. "It was such a simple plan. We tricked him into seeking his kin, something he is forbidden to do. Hoping that during the reunion he would divulge a little information to explain his absence." Finding himself with no desire to drink the tea he gently set the ornate teacup down.

" We did not count on him withholding his family tie from his grandson. Then when his own son rejected him it brought an end to that plan." Sinking down further into his chair Tong began to wonder if it was wise to be giving up such a terrible bout of bad news. Shaking his head a little he finished his report."

" Unfortunately that rejection wounded him deeply. Ever since he came back he's been deep in a depression. He never leaves his room on his own accord. Does not speak to anyone, not even the youkai native to his land. It's hampered our efforts considerably."

Across the table another teacup clattered softly, drawing Tong's attention over to his guest. Where his gaze met with two beautiful aqua colored eyes that sparkled like gemstones. Elegantly long finger nails tapped lightly at the side of the cup as the petite looking woman shifted in her chair. The layers of her delicate Chinese robes rustling softly with her movement, her gaze locked on Tong for a few long moments. She did not look happy, she had no reason to be happy. For a moment she entertained thoughts of stringing up that dog and slowly roasting him alive.

Carefully she calmed herself, releasing her held breath with a soft exhale of smoke that made Tong flinch. After swallowing back the fire that burned in her throat she managed to answer. "Even in sleep the hold those monsters have on their pet is iron clad. It seems we have little choice, we've waited long enough to see if he will come around. We will have to try our agreed on plan. "

Tong quickly raised a hand in a motion to stop the Lady Dragon's thoughts right in their tracks. A scolding look coming over his feminine face. " My Mistress I must remind you that torture has not worked on these Hunters in the past. They will always choose death over crossing their masters." His painted lips pulled into a little smile as he regarded the dragon's quickly souring look, a slender finger rising in point. "May I also humbly ask you to please give me a little more time as I do have a little plan."

The dragon woman eyed her companion critically, her half lidded eyes taking on a cold shimmer as she propped her chin lightly on a clenched fist. Silently commanding Tong to continue. In response Tong's smile grew wider as he held up both his manicured hands before him as if he were carrying something. " It seems the fates have heard me and a few days ago dropped something interesting in my hands." The Dragon's brow slowly arched at Tong, wondering if he had finally lost it.

With a smile that refused to waver Tong found his desire to enjoy his tea once more. Picking up his tea cup he took a pause for effect and pretended to study the hand detailing on the side of the cup before continuing. " My Mistress please bear with me. For our biggest obstacle is the depression that currently has a grip on him. One might think all hope is lost but, depression can be treated like an illness and illnesses can be cured.

Holding that creepy smile he raised his tea cup to his lips. "As luck would have it I believe I have found that cure."

...

Awaking with a start he instinctively reached out a hand to stop himself from falling off the deck. Failing miserably as his claws scraped the edge and he landed unceremoniously on the ground. With a soft groan he rolled over until he gazed up at the clear blue skies. Once again he'd not gone to bed last night, or was it a few nights before? In fact he could hardly remember the last time he actually went to bed. That should have bothered him yet somehow he found himself feeling quite uncaring about it. As sad as it was, this had become common routine for the Inu no Taishou.

Almost a year ago he escaped his enraged son Sesshoumaru by fleeing into a snow storm in Russia. Unfortunately there was no escape from his son's hateful words. They followed him on his long and painful journey back to China, plaguing his thoughts every waking moment. When he finally arrived back in the residence of Hua Tong he found no relief nor distraction. Even this wonderful little 'room' offered him little sanctuary.

'Room' was an understatement. From the hall way it was just another door, but beyond that door was a piece of his past. It must have involved quite a bit of magic, but his 'room' was actually a small nobles home plucked from Japan's ancient times. A complex of three buildings with a walk way linking them all and both a court yard in the front as well as a beautiful tea garden filled with flowers in the back. Surrounding the complex at a far off distance was a thick bamboo forest. The weather mirrored what was going on outside of Tong's residence, it would become hot in the summer, cool in the fall and winter and precipitation would fall.

This should have been enough to put his mind at ease. Yet he could not stop himself from hearing his son's hateful words. He began to think back to the days when his boy was very young. He combed through every little detail, every conversation he had, everything he taught him. Asking himself the same questions over and over again. What did he do wrong? Did he push his son too hard? Did he not push him hard enough? What secrets does he think I am keeping from him? Was it the swords? Hiding his tomb? Why does he think I wanted to hold him down? Deny him the ability to rise to his full potential?

The back deck became his favorite thinking spot, shaded from the sun and with a breeze that carried the sweet fragrance of the flowers towards him. Here he came to let the ambiance of the garden sooth his wounded soul. But it was also here that he found his worst turmoil. His emotions would shift from deep sadness, to fiery anger. On the night time wind he would hiss bitter curses over his son's head, only to whisper apologies by morning's light. On this deck he spent much of his time, staring at the bamboo forest beyond the garden. Reliving his memories and constantly questioning himself. Sometimes he spent days, becoming so absorbed he would forget to eat or sleep.

Even when he did manage to get off that deck for a little while the dark cloud of his misery would follow him where ever he went. Normally he only left his room to bathe and when Tong Insisted on meeting him. These distractions though didn't spare him from the torture as he couldn't seem to focus on anything for long. The longing to return to the blessed solitude of his room always wormed its way into his thoughts.

His host though refused to leave him alone. Since it was a hassle to get the old Daiyoukai out of his room, the strangely feminine looking man would simply go visit instead. Many times in the past few months had Hua Tong wandered into his room. His elaborately dressed and equally as feminine appearing servants following toting with them food or other things.

Nothing Tong did though would hold the disinterested youkai's attention for very long. Between tea parties, attempts at getting him to play GO, or chess, even inviting the Nur-onna to join them. No matter what the youkai's attention would be drawn back to that deck and the bamboo forest beyond. Ignoring everything and everyone else around him. Deep down the youkai knew his host was trying to help him, but he secretly wished he could be left there and forgotten.

So when he heard the soft chime of bells announcing that he had visitors once again the youkai could only sigh softly. Rolling himself back to his feet he took a moment to fix his garb and run his claws through his neglected silvery hair. He was not looking forward to this. He had a funny feeling Tong was here because he'd forgotten to eat anything for the past few days or more. Giving a sniff he started to make his way towards the court yard where the door was located. Fully expecting to see his Host with a concerned look on his face and with at least three servants carrying in trays with food and drink.

When he saw Tong standing there with his signature creepy smile and holding a bundled up towel, he was a little taken back.

That smile alone still never failed to bring a shiver up his spine. It reminded him very much of a Cheshire cat with lipstick. Despite knowing this man for almost a year now he'd still not managed to get over that quirk. Yet it was the bundle in Tong's arms that drew his attention. This was certainly different, normally his Host would come in the room and call out for him. '_Oh my Xiao Bai! Are you still alive!?_' Or in some other pining way that would coax the youkai to come out if only to end the embarrassment. Then they would both engage in small talk or head to one of the guest rooms of the home. There Tong would subtly coax or otherwise try to trick the youkai into coming out of his room while enticing him to eat and drink.

Tong's visits were each an attempt to break him out of his cycle of depression. At first the youkai ignored him, not budging one inch from his spot on the deck. After all Tong was disturbing him in his solitude. His host's determination though was nearly impossible to defeat. By the third visit he was forced to acknowledge

Tong and by the fourth visit he was meeting with him at the door. Sadly that was the limit of Tong's success as the exchanges between them were always short. His guest simply not talking very much, not interacting unless forced and always, always gazing out towards that bamboo forest. By the end of the visit Tong would accept defeat and leave the youkai to his self inflicted torture. Only to try again a few days later.

This time though it looked like Tong had something else in mind as he stood before the old Daiyoukai, holding a bundle of towels clasped in his hands. It took only a moment for the youkai to catch the scent clinging to the towels. A look of pure confusion coming over his face. Casting his host a wary eyed look he mustered the patience needed to ask the obvious question.

"Hua Tong , tell me what you are up to."

The flamboyant man's smile never once wavered as he held out the bundle of towels to the guarded looking youkai. "I am only trying to help a defenseless soul! This little one needs the nurturing care of an adult! I thought that you were the best choice among the other residence to ask." The bundle of towels shifted a little and whimpered. Causing the youkai slowly arched a brow at it before letting his gaze drift back up to Tong, that confused look still held on his face.

Taking a step closer to the youkai Tong put on a thoughtful look as he gazed to the bundle in his hands. "He is still so very young but has suffered so much at the hands of a rather mean child. This poor soul was kicked right off a bridge and into the river. One of my men waded after and saved him from being swept away. Please Xaio Bai, be merciful as you are the only one here who can help this little one! " Tong looked up then with pleading eyes.

A clawed hand slowly rubbed over his face, unfazed by the story if only because of the fact that the levels of cruelty humans were capable of no longer surprised him. "Hua Tong, do not take my reaction as ill, I do feel bad for this little one bu-erp!" He blinked in surprise as the bundle was unceremoniously shoved against him. Instinctively he grabbed a hold of if and froze for a moment. Before regaining his composure and sputtering. " ...Allow me to finish you despicable man!" The growl that rose in his throat quickly died as the towel in his arms began to tremble. Drawing a sigh he closed his eyes and calmed his tone.

"I understand what you are trying to do Hua Tong, but I must inform you that mortal dogs are fearful of my presence."

When he opened his eyes again Tong was almost to the door! A sweat drop rolled down his temple as he gave chase, stalking after his host with a hostile look on his face. Tong realized quickly enough that he'd not gain an easy escape and turned around to face the angered dog demon. " Even so Xaio Bai, my words ring true. There is no other demon or human under my roof that is capable of taking care of a puppy. If I let him roam free on the street he will be killed as most of the population here view dogs as a nuisance."

Tong watched worriedly as he came to a stop before him with narrowed golden eyes. That last piece of information was sadly all too true and the dog demon knew it. Giving a deep sigh the youkai conceded defeat and looked at the trembling bundle in his arms. " I must inform you then that I have no idea how to take care of a puppy." Reaching over he plucked up a corner of the towel and peeked in while Tong simply laughed behind his raised sleeve.

"My dear Xaio Bai, you've raised children before. I am sure this puppy will pose you no problem what so ever. After all, he is just a mortal dog."

Those words would have been encouraging if Tong was not using some sing-song voice to say them. The youkai had only enough time to flash his host a skeptical look when the door was shut. Leaving him alone with his new companion. Shaking his head the youkai turned on a heel and started back to his home. Making his way up into one of the guest rooms where he slid the door closed.

Many animal-like youkai held a kinship with their mortal counter parts, unfortunately the same could not be said of this Dog General. Every time he had encountered a dog, his presence alone was enough to send the poor creature running in terror. He'd never once seen one up close, never mind pet one. While he was in Russia's famous city filled with dogs that freely commuted on trains, the animals stayed well away from him. Reminding him of that little fact. Thus he had little hope in this endeavor, all he expected was for the puppy to run away the moment he was free of the towel.

Sitting down on the floor he carefully put the bundle down and began to unwrap it. The pup within looked very young and very small as he was barely larger than the youkai's hand when curled up. His fur was still damp from his ordeal and sticking up in all directions. The puppy swayed unsteadily on it's feet as he looked around in confusion. His head bobbing a little as little ears drooped and his tail curled between his legs.

Black fur ran from the pups shoulders all the way to the hindquarters and most of the tail. While white fur ran over his neck, fore legs, hind paws and the very tip of his tail. The pups face was white with a butterfly shaped mask of black fur around big brown eyes. Giving the pup a charming look that the youkai admired. This pup was rather cute, not to mention comical with his oversized paws and rat-like tail.

While he studied the little creature a visible shiver ran through that tiny body, almost causing the pup to tumble over. With a whimper the puppy clumsily padded out of the towel and over towards the youkai. Seeking warmth as he curled up against the hakama covered leg. For a brief moment he was absolutely surprised, he did not expect this pup to approach him. Then again this little one was probably still traumatized from the river and simply didn't know any better.

Gazing down at the little pup the he could not help but shake his head. Making a silent promise to the little animal, he knew absolutely nothing about taking care of a mortal dog but he would try his best with the pup for at least a few days. If all did not go well then he would return the animal to Tong. With a gentle sigh he reached down and softly pet the puppy curled up at his side.

...

_Next Day._

The sunlight that filtered through the paper screened window coaxed him from his sleep. Slowly opening his eyes he took a moment to take stock in everything around him. This time he made it to bed, even placed a bundle of blankets on the bed to nestle the puppy into. When he awoke the blankets were empty, the pup no where to be seen. At least until he noticed a pair of eyes shining from under the dresser. This shouldn't surprise him, he knew the puppy would come to his senses soon enough. Shaking his head a little he gave cavernous, fang bearing yawn. Giving a sniff after that caused him to freeze, there was a scent in the air that he knew all too well. Giving a little sigh he realized then that the reason the pup was probably hiding…

… was because he knew he was in trouble.

"That river water just had to come out of you during the night." Sighing again he climbed off his futon bed and went off to collect the puppy and some cleaning supplies.

…..

"This smells terrible." Crinkling his nose the youkai closed the bag of puppy kibble. Taking a moment to look over the directions on the back of the package as a ball of black and white fur peeked out from under the kneel-to table. Soon after waking up his host's servants brought breakfast an ornate box filled with freshly steamed meat buns as was the routine. They also brought a basket of items for the puppy. Including a bag of kibble and a can of wet food. Both of which had such a pungent odor that he began to feel nauseated the moment the bag was opened.

Deciding that nothing that smelled this bad could possibly be good for a puppy, he set the items aside and moved to the table. A soft yap and the patter of paws reminded him of the pups presence as he sat down. After fishing out the pup from under the dresser he carried him over to this common room. No sooner had he set the pup down than the little one retreated under the table. Proving to this frightened dog that he was no threat to him was going to be difficult.

It didn't stop him from trying though as he plucked the lid off of the box and selected a meat bun from it's contents. Tearing the bun into smaller pieces and waiting for them to cool off. Very slowly he reached under the table and slipped a piece towards the puppy who immediately scurried backwards. Only to stop a moment later. The pup was hungry, he knew it had not eaten in a while so it didn't take much time for the pup to approach the offered meat bun and bite away at it. All while the youkai leaned over to watch as the pup wolfed down the food. With a little smile he slowly slid another piece over, although this time he did not drop it. That smile broadened as the little one padded up to his fingers to take it this time. "My how simple minded, you'll conquer any fear for food hm?"

After breakfast was finished and a bowl of water was left out for the pup the youkai took his morning tea and returned to his usual spot on the back deck. His gaze once more settling on the distant bamboo forest as he mulled over his memories. The terrible questions once more surfacing for him to dwell over for the hundredth time. What did he do wrong? That was the biggest question that plagued his thoughts for months now.

Sesshoumaru was a strong youkai in his eyes, strong enough at least. But that was never enough for his ambitious son, he wanted to achieve higher, become stronger and become more powerful. _*squeak!* _Because of this he challenged the boy, always trying to prove to him that he was indeed _*squeak!* _strong enough. _*squeak!* _Every test he planned for him. _*squeak!* _Every spell he crafted to thwart him. _*squeak!* _Every time he _*squeak!* _...Oh for the love of ... _***squeak!* !**_

With narrowed eyes he gazed over his shoulder just as another squeak rang out. The pup was busy at the moment, tumbling around with a fuzzy toy that squeaked whenever it hit the floor. Blissfully unaware that he was derailing the youkai's thoughts with that loud little toy. Shaking his head to the little ones antics he turned back towards the forest and tried to tune out the sound of the pup's play. His thoughts drifting back to when Sesshoumaru was a 'puppy' himself, at 4 years of age. Back then his first born was filled with curiosity and boundless mischief. A little smile came over his face as he re envisioned the sweet memory of watching the child as he inspected his armor while it lay on the floor. Crawling inside the chest piece only to pop his head out the top and chew on the edge.

Those were the days where he was learning just as much as his son was. Being a first time parent he had to learn as he went. Raising a demon child was not easy and there was much trial and error. At the tender age of four Sesshoumaru was a ball of energy that wanted to get into everything. Back then a quiet house hold was a frightening thing, for it meant that there was a puppy up to no good. Giving a little sigh at the sweet reminiscing he smiled to himself before realization hit. …It was rather quiet all of a sudden.

***CRASH! **CLATTER-clatter-clatter*

The sound made the poor demon cringe, gritting his teeth a moment as he bit back a word of obscenity. Turning back around he realized that the squeak toy was all that he could find of that puppy! Grumbling under his breath he rose to his feet and followed the scent of the little one, tracking it all the way back to the common room. Here he found the lacquered box laying on the floor, it's lid still rocking back and forth. Next to it was the puppy, sitting proudly next to the remaining meat bun he managed to pull out of the box. His little brown eyes gleaming as he looked up to the youkai and waged his tail.

_One week later_.

A tennis ball bounced along the polished wooden floor, followed closely behind by a hyper little ball of black and white fur. The puppies paws skittered and scraped at the floor as he chased after his toy. Finding delight in pushing it faster while at the same time blissfully unaware of where he was going until the ball smacked right into a teacup. Splashing the pup with warm tea while the cup sailed over the edge of the deck and smashed on the ground. The pup snuffed and shook off it's fur vigorously before stumbling up against the youkai seated on the deck.

Closing his eyes he gave a slow, calming sigh. His head hanging while a clawed hand rubbed his temples. He had this little pup for a week now and although he was content that the little one's fear of him had subsided, he began to regret everything else! This pup was a ball of destruction! In seven days the pup has managed to break several pieces of glassware including one very expensive looking teapot. There were also floor cushions missing and the youkai had only found one dragged somewhere out into the garden. The pup had chewed through a pair of tabi socks and one of his getta sandals was covered in teeth marks.

Oh he did attempt to fight back, by systematically combing through each of the three buildings and puppy-proofing everything. Moving breakables out of the reach of flying toys, foot ware was moved out of shoe wells and shoji doors were closed tightly and bound with string. He felt he covered all his bases but it seemed he still had a problem on his hands. The puppy demanded almost constant attention from him. If the pup was not supervised for even a few moments he would find some sort of mischief to get into. Or in this case run into. It had been seven days since he could sit out on the back deck, or anywhere else for that matter, in peace.

Letting his hand drop back into his lap he took a moment to cast the puppy a scolding look, only to see the pup respond by panting happily up to him and wagging his tail. "Do you ever stop little one?" A useless question that he had to ask. Shaking his head a little as he knew the answer, this puppy was bored. Leaning down he carefully picked up the broken pieces of tea cup before getting up. The puppy bouncing along at his heels as he made his way into the house. Tossing the broken cup into the trash he made his way over to the puppy basket to see if he could find a solution.

The first idea to come to mind was to just toss the pup a toy to keep him occupied but unfortunately the basket lacked anything of the sort this time. He had a funny feeling all the toys that used to be in this basket were now scattered all over the house. There were puppy treats, which wouldn't help here. A puppy blanket and a strip of raw hide did not seem too helpful either. Pawing about a moment he came across a small collar and leash. Picking the two up he calmly looked them over as he pondered the possibility of going out for a walk. The pup did have a training pad, so there was little need to take him for a walk. Or so he thought, apparently the pup really needed to expend some energy. Making up his mind he turned towards the pup and held up the collar.

Only to find the pup gone! With a dumbfounded look over his face he gazed around the room, utterly amazed how quick the small creature could be. Catching the sound of scuffling paws he tilted his head and moved towards the table. Flipping the leather cord and small collar over in his hand he pondered the little predicament. Before sinking down onto his hands and knees and peeking under the table at the shivering ball of black and white fur. A dark brow arched a little.

"Something tells me your not too thrilled about seeing this."

Underneath the table the puppy was cowering to the floor with his tail tucked between his legs and his ears drooped. For a moment the pups big pleading eyes were enough to make him change his mind about the walk. But then logic nagged at him, at some point he will have to take this puppy out for a walk. It would be easier to ease him out of this fear of the collar now instead of later.

"There is nothing to worry about little one." He rumbled in a soothing tone while reaching under the table. The puppy though was not convinced and took off running out the other side. Scrambling out the door and onto the board walk. That rumble turned into an annoyed growl as he quickly climbed to his feet. With golden eyes narrowed he stalked after the pup and stepped out onto the board walk. By then the little dog was all the way to the next house and was already pawing at the door to open it. The youkai flashed a nasty little smirk.

The door was just about open, the pup furiously pawing to nudge it oven just a little bit more. But before he could stick his little snout through the open crack something snatched him up! The capture was so sudden and quick that the pup almost forgot to yip! The youkai landed lightly on the deck a few feet away, the puppy held securely in his hands. While the little one was still stunned he deftly worked to buckle the collar around the pups neck and fasten the leash. " You must get over the fear of this little one, for the town streets are quite dangerous for a dog to run free."

Flashing the puppy an encouraging smile he set the whimpering creature down on the ground. Holding up the other end of the leash as he watched the puppy fuss and squirm trying to remove the collar. Closing his eyes he couldn't help but shake his head. He felt terrible doing this to the frightened animal, it was obvious that something terrible must have happened to him.

While the Youkai was busy the pup started to back up, with another wriggle the collar slipped right over his head. It took the little dog a moment to realize he was free and it took the Youkai another moment to open his eyes and realize the Puppy was once more running off. A small vein popping over his brow as he stood there, giving a long winded exhale. Then he took off after him!

An hour later he was making his way through the halls of Tong's home. Wearing a casual Chinese outfit and carrying a whimpering puppy under his arm, he tried to ignore the strange looks of the staff members he passed. This was the first time in months that he wandered outside of his room which was an amazing sight in itself. More amazing is that that Tong was not at his heels trying to herd him along, or anyone else for that matter. He was completely on his own and out here for his own reasons. With a little effort he avoided every single person he crossed paths with in the hall until he reached the front door. Once he was outside he felt like he'd just finished a great escaped and breathed a huge sigh of relief. Short lived as it was. Looking about he began to wonder if he stepped out of the frying pan and into the fire as he realized how busy it was on the streets surrounding Tong's featureless building.

Looking up it finally occurred to him how unassuming the building looked. No one walking by would have ever suspected the myriad of supernatural creatures living within. He marveled at it for only a moment when the pup began to squirm in his arms. Gazing over to the little one he obliged and set him down, only to smirk as the puppy bolted the few feet the leash would allow and came to an abrupt stop. This time the Youkai had taken better precautions and bound the leash around the puppy to form a harness. Preventing the little squirming creature from wriggling out a second time.

The puppy tugged and whined loudly, making it very clear he was not happy with the leash though he would not relent. Sinking down to a knee the Youkai gently pet the little one as he spoke softly. " Did something bad happen to you involving a leash? Little one this is only for your protection." He couldn't help but notice the pup beginning to panic and reaching out he picked the little one up by the scruff of the neck. It took a moment but instinctively the puppy calmed down and grew still. Rising back to his feet the and tucking the puppy into the crook of his arm, he continued to sooth the little creature with gentle scritches behind his ears and under his chin.

Looks like he was doing the walking to start off. Giving a little chuckle he stepped out onto the street and wandered along with the flow of human traffic. The town around him was busy despite the hot summer sun beating down from above. It didn't stop people from walking about, doing their shopping, talking on strange devices they held to their ears and simply hanging around outside on street corners. A splash of color drew his gaze across the street and to a shops display of fine silks. A sinking feeling came over him in that instant and he stepped out of the way just in time to avoid an oncoming cart filled with vegetables. A word of annoyance began to roll over his tongue when he heard someone giggle.

At first he didn't think much of it, there were many conversations going on around him so a giggle was not out of place. But then the giggle seemed to grow louder, followed by other giggle. He had the feeling he was being followed and curiously looked over a shoulder behind him. Only to see two young ladies instantly freeze at the sight of him, a red color blossoming over both their faces. A dark brow arched a little at the curious sight before he remembered his manners and turned around to greet the ladies. Giving a little bow that the two women returned nervously. "Good afternoon Ladies."

"Aft-afternoon! Ah! I'm sorry to bother you! We saw the cute dog and couldn't help following!" The first woman flushed a deeper shade of red as she grabbed the arm of her friend who was already leaning in close to look at the puppy. A quick look down to the little one showed him that the puppy was just as happy to see the two women as they were to see him. With a gentle smile he held the puppy out in offer to the two women.

"Would your ladies like to hold-eh! " He blinked as the pup vanished from his grasp in an instant! The two young women forgot about their shy moment and embraced the pup, at the same time. The pup was sandwiched between the two giggling and cooing women. His little tail wagging a mile a minute as he playfully yapped and licked at the nearest face. Causing the women to squeal in delight and admiration while completely forgetting that the pups owner was standing just two feet away.

Once the initial shock of the puppy-napping wore off he stood back and watched the little scene. At first he found it amusing how the puppy was bathed in so much affection that he forgot about the leash. Then for a moment, just a moment, he became a little envious. Lucky little dog. He gave a little laugh at himself that also had the benefit of reminding the two young women of his presence. Looking just as red faced as before the first woman mumbled a few apologies in a cute way herself and handed the puppy back to him.

"Th-thank you! He's so cute!" The two chimed in unison as they bowed and began to shuffle away, still giggling between each other. Leaving him with a now much happier and more hyper puppy squirming in his hands.

"Already a ladies man aren't you?" The pup looked up at him, panting happily with a big doggy smile and a wagging tail as if in answer. Causing the youkai to give a little chuckle as he shook his head and continued on once more down the street. The town was small and not nearly as crowded as many others in China but he didn't feel it was safe to place the puppy down until they were well away from the heart of the town. Where the pavement ended, streets turned to dirt and the trees began to outnumber houses.

It was here that he set the pup down to sniff among the grass while he gazed out over the farms that surrounded the town. Sprawling fields of green patch worked the landscape, their neat lines broken only by the river that cut through the eastern side. The farm houses that dotted the land looked like toys almost, some were very old looking, others modest. One or two looked quite lavished for farm homes and he suspected they owned the largest pieces of farm land around them. Along with a paddock that was filled with cows.

"Look its Fooie!"

A little voice chimed from a few feet away and his blue eyes rolled to the side in time to see three young children running up to the puppy. The two boys and one girl looked like they were between the ages of 6 and 8. All three looked dirty from being out in the fields but otherwise looked happy to see the puppy. The pup though was not as happy to see them and slowly began to shy away.

The Two boys gazed warily up to the tall Youkai as they approached while the little girl crouched down and held a hand out to the puppy. Sinking down to a knee he reached down to give the puppy a reassuring scratch behind the head. "Do you three know this puppy?"

"His name is Fooie, he belongs to Su Bok who lives over there." The girl piped up before the two boys could and pointed off to the large house with the livestock paddock. The boys looked between each other before one mustered the courage to talk.

"We thought he was dead, Su never liked the dog. One day he kicked the dog into the river and we never saw it again."

The youkai gazed quietly at the three children, unaware of the stern look he was casting on the boys. The ends of human cruelty no longer surprised him anymore, but he was a little annoyed with the fact that someone could be so brutal to a helpless creature. "What was wrong with this dog that a child would want to throw him into a river?"

His tone was scolding and he realized it a moment later as even the little girl looked up in alarm. The boys now stood rigidly side by side, staring at him for a moment before one nudged at the other. Causing the boy to stutter before answering. "Su said he wanted a pretty dog and Fooie wasn't pretty. His parents wont let him get another dog while he had Fooie! So he tried making the dog sick! Then Su tried the dog up with a rope and stuck him in a box. He wanted to stick the box on one of the passing carts but got caught. So he kicked the dog in the river and told his parents it ran away."

At first he felt bad for taking out some of his annoyance on these children, but the puppy was cowering against his knee at the sight of them. Seeing that he somehow felt that these three kids had some involvement with the puppies torment. So he held that stern look on the children, as his voice dipped to an icy tone. " Su Bok is it? Well then, perhaps you three should tell him that if he is not careful...an Angry Dog Spirit will put a curse on him." His cold blue eyes rolled over each child as he continued. "You will also tell his parents what he did to Fooie. I mean everything he did, unless you wish the Dog Spirits curse to fall upon yourselves as well?"

At this the three children looked terrified, one of the boys blindly pawed for the little girl who was also backing up. None of them said a word as they cowered back and quickly turned, running off as fast as they could. The youkai giving a snuff before gently petting the little pup at his side, gazing down thoughtfully. "So your name is Fooie hm? Well it seems you've had enough of an adventure today, lets return."

_Two Weeks later._

Once more he found himself on that back deck, his gaze locked on the bamboo forest in the distance. Once more he found himself thinking about his son. The same questions began to crop up. The whys and 'what ifs?' following closely behind. A sense of uselessness slowly crept over him until something cut through that growing haze of sadness. Burning it away like the fog beneath the morning sun. That something was the realization of what he was doing. This was the first time in fourteen days since he'd thought of his eldest. Fourteen days free of his self torture, all due to one little distraction.

From the moment this puppy was dropped into his life he never once had the chance to sit back here and wallow in his guilt. Every time he tried it was thwarted by Fooie's attempts at getting his attention. Because of that same pup he'd resumed taking regular meals in order to share with the little one. He even remembered to sleep on schedule instead of being up for days until he passed out. Because of this little dog he was more aware of the world around him, if only for the sake of catching the pup's mischief before he could break something. It amazed him how this little one could keep him so busy that he'd forget his troubles.

The sound of paws on the polished wood floor caught his attention drew his crimson eyes from the forest. This time the Youkai was in his full form in all of its furry glory, laying on the back deck half curled. His muzzle resting lightly on his fore paws as he watched the wary little puppy approach. It had been almost three hours since he first transformed and this for him was amazing progress. Fooie stopped a few feet away from him, staring as he gave a little growl. The fur along the puppies back raised on end as his tail puffed up. Doing his absolute best to look intimidating.

If dogs could laugh, he would be chuckling right now at the antics of the pup. Becoming more content by the moment over the little one's confidence. For a few days now he worried over the implications of having a dog living with him. This creature would be dependent on him and it was only fair that the pup understand exactly what he was dealing with. At first he worried about it, what would the pup do when he saw a giant dog? Granted he knew this would scare the puppy terribly but this was a necessary measure. If this puppy was going to live with him then he needed to be exposed to everything while he was still young. All he had to do was wait for the pup to show him a sign that he was ready for it.

Then one day while he was walking the puppy at the edge of the town they came across another dog. This one was rather large itself with a coat of golden colored fur. At first he thought that such a large canine would spook the pup. But Fooie strained at the leash excitedly at the sight of the other canine. Unfortunately the dog took one look at the Youkai and turned tail. Although Fooie looked disappointed, the Youkai felt confident that now was the time.

Once they were home again he let the pup settle in while he sat down on the floor. Watching the little one as he pounced and chewed on a squeak toy. Then without warning he simply transformed into his full demon form. Rising up onto all fours to shake off his thick fur before he gazed over and watched Fooie's reaction. Or more precisely watched Fooie's tail vanish under the table. Knowing that the pup was shaken by that experience he gave the little one some breathing room and moved to his spot on the deck. Settling down where he could gaze out over the gardens and to that forest.

After some time of quiet Fooie finally peeked out from under the table, his little ears flattening back as he barked and hid again. Some scuffling was heard as the puppy paced about before once more poking his head out to take another look. This time Fooie mustered the courage to creep his way out from under the table, making his way slowly towards a pair of thick, curled white tails. When they twitched, the puppy jumped a good six inches in the air before running back to hide beneath the table.

As the afternoon wore on the little scene repeated itself a few more times. The puppy would come close, take a sniff then retreat. Each time he dared get closer, first to his tails, then his back paws. Now he was near his muzzle and was putting a little show of courage for the old Youkai. Causing him so much amusement that his tails wagged once and thumped on the floor. Effectively causing the puppy to jump nearly out of his skin. Though this time before he could bolt a large and wickedly clawed paw circled around him. Pulling the pup over to the demon where he was pinned down by a white muzzle.

It was delicate business holding onto a squirming puppy when you had lethally sharp claws and no thumbs. Though with some effort he managed to capture Fooie in a 'doggy embrace' while pinning him down. Of course the puppy whined and squirmed at first but after a few moments he began to settle down. After all he was surrounded by soft white fur and there was a soothing rhythmic murr sound that rumbled from the Youkai every time he breathed. It really wasn't as bad as first thought and after some time the puppy began to settle in. He even started to nap.

A nap sounded like a wonderful idea. He considered following the pup's example when he heard the soft chime of a bell, announcing that someone was entering the room. A crimson eye opened as an ear twitched. Really now, it was too early for dinner, did the servants believe he needed an extra pot of tea? Curiosity nipped at him but it was not enough to make the Youkai move from his spot at the moment. The pup was sound asleep and he was not about to disturb him by answering one of Tong's Servants. Besides, it was common knowledge that he could not speak in this form. Once the staff member realized that he would no doubt conclude his business quickly.

Gazing to the doorway he listened to the sound of rustling silks and soft slippers on the wooden walk ways. A flopped ear twitching some as the sound drew closer, only one set of foot falls. Rather strange considering Tong's men and occasionally women traveled in pairs or more. He suspected something was up, which he confirmed when he saw the servant's grim expression upon entering. Just like their host Tong's male servants were flamboyantly dressed in colorful feminine looking robes. Their faces painted like artwork and their hair pulled up and sometimes woven through elaborate head dresses. Upon seeing the youkai he flinched a moment, before expertly recovering and bowing.

"A thousand apologies My Lord, but my Master wishes to see you and the baby dog right away. It is very important!"

Something important yet the Host himself was not here to ask for his audience? Why was the puppy also needed? It saddened him to rouse the pup after he spent much of the afternoon trying to coax him to his point. But he saw little choice in the matter and letting his youki flare began to transform back. As the glow faded he lay still and watched the puppy's reaction. Unaware of the rather alluring position he ended up in. With his body half curled, his legs drawn to one side while his hair fanned out over his face and form like strands of spun silver. He rested his cheek against his folded arms and watched the pup who had awakened during the process and was now sniffing at him.

Lucky for him the servant turned away before he could see the speckles of red blossoming on his face. Vividly remembering a time when one unfortunate staff member boldly walked in on this demon while he bathed. It took considerable effort to cut him free of the wash bucket stuck over his head. Fanning his face he waited patiently for the youkai to get up and gather the puppy. Remaining completely stoic while that grim look returned to his face.

It was a curious thing really, seeing an annoyed look on the usually jovial face of a servant. Something was certainly annoying the fellow enough to make him forget his manners and it piqued at the youkai's curiosity. Even more so considering that he'd requested the puppy come as well. Fitting a collar over Fooie's neck he clipped the leash onto the squirming puppy and coaxed him along. The three journeyed through the halls in silence save for the soft clattering of the leash on the young dog. For the most part he let the puppy fuss over the leash this time, his eyes locked on the servant and his odd body posture. The fellow seemed very angry though it was obvious the anger was not directed to him. He wondered what in the world could be raising such a fuss?

Before they left the hall he caught the scent of a human child wafting through. A very odd thing for now that he thought of it, humans were very rare inside of this residence. His curiosity continued to grow until he felt the leash suddenly become taught and heard the puppy whine loudly. The cry startled him enough to freeze in his tracks and look back at the pup, fearing he'd somehow managed to hurt it. What he saw was a terrified puppy, he was half balled up, his fur standing on end and quivering as he trembled. Fooie stared at him with big fearful eyes while his ears lay flat, telling the youkai in his own little way who the scent belonged to. Feeling terrible over what he was forcing the little once to do he carefully picked the puppy back up and tucked him into the crook of his arm. Giving him a soothing scratch behind the ear.

The source of the puppy's terror stood in the main room of Hua Tongs residence surrounded by several servants and the Host himself. All of which looked at the child disapprovingly, not that the boy visibly seemed bothered by it. The boy looked like he was on the cusp of his teenage years. He was dressed in better clothes than most children and managed to keep them quite clean. The boy also lacked the calloused hands or smell of hay and dirt, proof that unlike his three friends this boy did not do any manual labor on a farm. This child looked sheltered and well groomed, save for his hair which was in need of a cut. Those long black bangs though did not hide the fierce look in his eyes.

"Su Bok I presume then." The youkai greeted the boy in a rumbling tone. For although he held a face of pure calm, secretly he was not pleased to see this child. This boy was responsible for trying to kill the trembling creature in his arms. He didn't understand why at the moment, but the child's presence invoked a nasty spark in the demon. The fact he was standing there now and scaring the wits out of Fooie left him feeling very irritable, yet strangely hungry. Despite knowing he was meeting with a child for the first time, he was already beginning to lose his patience. Something Tong noted quickly as he hid his smile behind a fan.

The child seemed undaunted by the sight of the tall man before him. He kept his eyes locked on the dog trembling in his arms for a moment. Before clapping his hands to his sides and giving a quick if quite stiff bow. "I am Su Bok. I came here to give my deepest apology to Fooie and to thank you from the bottom of my heart for saving him!" Su did not simply say this, he called it out loud enough for everyone in the room to hear. After stating his little declaration Su straightened back up and immediately looked the youkai in the eye.

"Please sir...may I have my dog back?"

…To be continued.


	24. Cruelty and Innocence

Chapter 24 - Cruelty and Innocence.

"Please sir, may I have my dog back?"

It amazed him to no end really, perhaps impressed him a little. This child standing before him apparently had the gumption to find out where the puppy was. Now he was here to offer a formal apology and to ask for the dog back. Sounding very sincere about the request. The youkai's blue eyes remained locked on this boy, searching him for any sign of deceit. The silence hanging heavily in the room as he took his time. His tone flat and emotionless when he finally answered.

"Your intent was to kill this dog. Had someone not gone into the river to rescue it then you would have succeeded."

Su Bok flinched a little to his words, for a moment the youkai thought the boy was remorseful over what he'd done. Su raised his head then as an apologetic look cracked through his otherwise stern expression. "I know now that it was wrong. I was so angry with Fooie at the time. But I want to ask for a second chance. I really miss Fooie."

Shifting his weight from one foot to the other he gazed thoughtfully at the boy. When he first met the three young farm children that knew him he practically ordered them to inform the Bok family of their sons cruelty. Perhaps the boys parents managed to straighten their child out? Perhaps they were the ones who sent the boy here to retrieve the dog? Either way it placed him in a predicament. Fooie after all did belong to the child. It would be wrong for him to keep the puppy yet at the same time it felt wrong to give the puppy back.

For several long minutes the boy and the youkai's gaze remained locked on one another. Both waiting for the other to react, the youkai finding a little amusement in this situation. It was a silent challenge like any other he'd ever faced and normally won. Su Bok looked so confident and serious though, that it almost felt like he'd met his match. The corner of his mouth quirked a little as he sunk down onto a knee and gently set the puppy down. Breaking the silence at last with a soft tone. "Come retrieve him."

Su's eyes widened with that, the boy looking dumbfounded for a moment as if he did not expect an outcome like this so soon. He recovered quickly though and started for the puppy, holding a hand out…and watching as the pup bared his little teeth at him. The moment Fooie was released he took off running! Diving past Su's feet to trip the boy up and send him skidding on his knees.

An amazingly loud and long string of cussing erupted from the child as he scrambled back to his feet and took off after the dog. Fooie raced around furniture and people, circling the room a couple of times as Su raced after him. Trying to grab the dog by any means possible. A back paw, the end of his tail, anything that came within reach Su grabbed for only to swear bitterly as the black and white fur slipped through his fingers. The puppy was fast despite his size and quick to turn on a dime just when it looked like he was cornered. As Fooie completed his third lap around the room he raced for the youkai and darted past his legs. Su scrambling to catch up with the pup when a hand came down in front of him. Catching the boy and ending the little game.

The child grabbed at his sleeve and looked ready to fight back, flashing an angry look at the youkai. At last showing his true face to him, a face that only grew angrier when he saw the youkai smile. "It seems the puppy wants nothing to do with you. I am sorry but it would be better for Fooie to stay with me."

"YOU SAID YOU WOULD GIVE HIM BACK!"

The boys scream made the entire room jump, something that seemed to bring a little bit of satisfaction and a smile to the child. Though that smile faded some as he looked up at a very annoyed looking youkai. It took everything in his power to stop himself from punishing this child himself! How disrespectful! "Raise your voice one more time and I will crush your vocal cords myself. As for the dog, I said nothing of the sort. I told you to come retrieve him. You could not do it, thus now the dog remains with me."

The threat cooled the boys fury for a moment, at least until he was told the dog would not be given back. Violently he pushed away from the youkai's hand and made to run after the dog. He made it only a few feet when something cuffed him on the back of his head! Causing the boy to duck and grab his skull, not even realizing he was pulled up into the air until he came falling down onto some dirt! Su looked up in amazement once he realized he was outside. Just a second before he was running after Fooie, now he was staring at a door as it slammed shut! Locking him out.

With a huff the youkai turned from the door and immediately caught sight of Hua Tong's smile. His look turning more sour as he glared at his host. Tong though took it in stride as he spread his fan and hid behind it. "Now now Xaio Bai! Do not mind me, I simply find your possessiveness of this little pup endearing is all." Tong's chuckle caused a little color to rise into the youkai's face. How ridiculous! To think he was being possessive of this puppy. All he was doing was protecting the pup. Nothing more.

Fooie padded back over to his side, the pup's tail curled between his legs as he looked nervously around. The dog only seeming to calm when he felt the tips of clawed fingers gently scratching behind his ears. The youkai watching the pup a moment as he mulled over the truth. Tong was right, this little creature had been a part of his life only for a couple of weeks. But already he felt an attachment to the dog. What was worse, the pup somehow managed to tap into his paternal instinct.

His mood swings alone were evidence of that. When the pup was calm, so was he. When the pup was playful, he too would be light hearted and playful. When the puppy was terrified though it brought out the youkai's defensive side. Now he understood why he was so annoyed with Su Bok the moment he laid eyes on him. Because Fooie became frightened by the boys mere scent. Giving a little sigh he finished the reassuring scratches and started out of the room. Tong's smile never wavering as he watched the newly calmed down pup scampering after the old dog demon.

_One Month Later._

The sounds of paws skittering over the floor were not hard to miss. Fooie was running back and forth in a slightly crouched position. His soft brown eyes locked on the golden hues of the youkai that followed the pup as he ran back and forth. Jumping off the board walk one moment and jumping back the next. For the past week Fooie had been acting like this whenever they were walking anywhere while he was off leash. Circling, staring and stalking without an obvious purpose only to repeat . Giving a soft sigh he gave up trying to figure out the hyper young dog's motive for now. Besides just watching this puppy was fatiguing.

"I envy all your energy pup."

Shaking his head he continue over the board walks that rimmed the castle, the puppy racing circles around his feet. Forcing him to watch were he stepped lest he accidentally kick Fooie. Despite giving up so easily before he still found himself marveling over the puppy's strange behavior. Silently wishing he knew more about mortal dogs to understand what he was seeing. Thinking over all the possibilities he reached the door of his study and was just about to open it when it happened.

The pup skid up behind him and bit the back of his heel.

The youkai froze as a dark brow twitched, feeling the needle like teeth pierce the back of his tabbi socks.

This had also been happening for the past week, whenever the puppy followed him like this. The moment he stopped or even slowed down the pup was quick to nip him on the heel. At first he thought the pup was just trying to satisfy his urge to chew. Considering Fooie was hitting that stage in puppy hood where he saw just about everything as a possible chew toy! Furniture, floor mats, kimono even the practice weapons inside the dojo bore damage puppy teeth.

Fooie's rein of destruction made his first born son look like a saint! At the tender age of five Sesshoumaru was quite a chewer. He gnawed on everything when the desire hit and that desire hit often. Everything within reach became a target, even Tetsusaiga suffered some damage from those little fangs! Then one day Sesshoumaru managed to put a few teeth marks on one of his mother's favorite set of zori. Till this very day the Daiyoukai had no idea what the woman did to his son, but never again did anything in the shiro suffer even a scratch from that little demon. Looking down at the puppy he silently wished he had asked.

Then again he could be wrong. There was always the possibility that Fooie was trying to play with him. Only problem with that explanation was the fact that the dog only bit him while exhibiting this stalking behavior. There was also the curious fact that the pup only bit him on the heels, never anywhere else. It left him with only one possibility; It had to be instinct.

Yet that explanation left him curious over how such an instinct could manifest? Granted he knew that human's controlled the evolution of mortal dogs. Selectively breeding them for different purposes. What use though could come from a nippy and hyperactive behavior like this? It left him baffled. Enough so that after a little time he managed to muster the courage to seek out Tong for more information about Fooie. Unfortunately Tong was about as clueless as he was. Though he was promised that information would be sent to the study for the youkai to review.

Turning around he gave the pup a deep warning growl that did little more than shoo the puppy back a few paces. Only to resume that crouch once he was a safe distance away, his tail wagging a mile a minute. Completely unphased, much to the youkai's chagrin. "You know pup, once upon a time a growl like that from me used to make grown men soil themselves." He grumbled as he shook his head and slid the door open, making his way into the cozy little study. There he found a book on the table with a picture of a black and white dog very similar to the puppy. Momentarily forgetting the puppy's antics he settled himself onto a cushion and picked up the book, reading the title out loud. "Border Collie?"

Turning the book over in his hands he skimmed over the title again on the back cover. Arching a brow curiously as he settled down to read it. Thumbing through the pages as he occasionally compared the pictures of the collies with the puppy that was currently trying to bounce off another cushion. Well it certainly looked like he had a little Border Collie scampering around. "You are very far away from home then." He chuckled softly and continued to skim the pages.

On the next page a picture depicted a dog in the same crouching stance as it stalked a herd of sheep. Curiously he read the caption just below it. "Famous for herding sheep by using glare tactics, circling or nipping hind legs." Both brows rose to this bit of information just as a small muzzle tried to bite at the corner of the book. His eyes narrowing on the puppy as he bounced back to his side to investigate the book. With a bite of course. "You have another thing coming if you think I am a sheep."

Gently poking the nibbling muzzle away he turned the page and continued reading. Taking in the information about the breeds behavior to heart. Apparently they were very smart and energetic farm dogs that needed to work or have considerable activity in their daily lives. They were also very destructive dogs when bored or cooped up. Hearing a loud clatter he gazed up in time to see the puppy race by the door dragging one of his getta sandals. How he managed to get to them despite efforts to keep them out of a puppy's reach was beyond him.

Setting the book down he rose to his feet and searched a pocket of his traditional suikan top. Fishing out a long slender dog leash as he eyed the scampering pup.

"I think I understand now, if I am to have any peace in this castle I need to first wear you out into exhaustion. So be it, time to use up that energy!"

….

There was a small problem with this idea. Something he did not realize till after they'd been walking a while. What could do to use up all this puppy energy? Thinking over the currant situation he walked along the dirt road that passed the farms. Watching the puppy that scurried about at the end of the leash excitedly. According to the book Fooie was a farm dog, born and bred to work all day on a farm or pasture herding animals. Which thankfully shed some light on the pup's odd behavior. The dog was simply bored and was searching for work to do. Unfortunately this Dog Demon did not make a habit of keeping livestock. He preferred to just eat them. No he was far from the farming type, he was a hunter and a fighter by nature. This left him with one important question; Would it be possible for this little Border Collie to adapt?

"Lets see then how well you can hunt." He mused contently as he lead the puppy off the dirt road and made his way into the thick forest that rimmed the southern edge of the town. After an hour of hiking the youkai caught the scent of a rabbit and began to trail it. Watching the puppy at his side to see if he also noticed the scent. After a few minutes the pup indeed began to show signs of interest in the scent. With a little smile he leaned down and unclipped the leash from the puppy's collar.

At first the puppy was unaware of it, his brown eyes locked ahead while sniffing the air excitedly. When he finally did realize he was lacking the leash he took off with an excited yap! The youkai smiling softly as he followed the pup through the forest brush and out to a small knoll. Here a group of rabbits were scattering at the sight of the barking puppy. All but one really large bunny that may have just outweighed the pup. Much to his surprise, this bunny stood his ground and even thumped his back feet threateningly.

The puppy meanwhile was unimpressed and came at the bunny while barking excitedly. The rabbit thumping angrily as it tried to spin around and keep up with the little dog that circled it. Fooie was trying the same behavior as before, crouching as he circled. Glaring at the bunny as he went, looking very much like he wanted to try and herd the bunny. Too bad for the puppy, the rabbit had other ideas. As Fooie dove in to nip at the creatures hind quarters the rabbit jumped. Planting a well aimed bunny kick right to the his nose!

Falling back on his haunches Fooie gave a yip! Followed by a whimper as he rubbed his nose with a paw. Almost not seeing the large bunny charging back at him! With a cry the puppy bolted, barking in alarm and looking back at his pursuer! The rather mean bunny relentless as it chased the puppy around the grassy knoll at least twice before a booming laugh thundered above them and ended the game. Spooking the rabbit enough to flee into the forest while the puppy took refuge behind his legs. With a hand clapped over his face the youkai could only laugh at the ridiculous plight of the poor puppy!

After a few minutes he managed to calm down enough to sink to a knee and give the puppy a comforting pet between the ears. "Not a natural born hunter I see. Perhaps if I show you how it is done?" Sinking down to all fours he let his youki flare around him, enveloping him in a shimmering light as he transformed back into his full form. The crystal hiding away his demonic features, leaving him as a large fluffy white dog.

Fooie immediately perked and started to bark happily while running a circle around him. Much to the youkai's surprise. In truth he had expected the little one to become shy. Considering he'd only seen him in his full form before but never without the demon markings. Yet here was the pup, bouncing around him happy, apparently not bothered by the details.

If only dogs could chuckle. The best he could produce at the moment was an amused rumble as he carefully stepped over the hyperactive puppy and began to sniff the air. The rabbits had not gone too far and if he was quick he might be able to catch one properly. Golden eyes flashed to the pup, silently beckoning him to follow as he began the hunt.

The first kill was spoiled when the puppy came charging out in another unsuccessful attempt to herd the rodent. The second kill was spoiled for the same reason, by the time the third kill was spoiled the youkai was growing annoyed with the little one. So by the time he tracked down the fourth rabbit, a little brindle brown creature with small cute ears and button black eyes, the youkai took preemptive measures. His tail coming down over Fooie's head as the pup looked ready to spring! While the little one recovered from the scolding the youkai leapt for the rabbit, the tiny creature making a desperate effort to dart away but in the end it could not escape the demon dogs jaws.

Fooie padded over in time to see the large white dog turn towards him. Dropping the half crushed little body before him. The sight caused Fooie to freeze, the pup looking at the body with uncertainty as he sniffed the air. Cautiously he approached the rabbit, a little paw reaching out to nudge the bunny. Only to flinch when the creature gave a final desperate gasp for air. The puppy's ears drooped as he whimpered and sat down on his haunches, not understanding. Giving sad puppy eyes.

Did he just scar this pup for life? His canine brows furrowed as he stared at the saddened puppy in utter disbelief. Perhaps he miscalculated, as this breed's task was to herd animals perhaps it was also to protect those animals? That would mean then that Fooie didn't understand that this rabbit was for food. Giving a sigh he leaned down and nuzzled the top of the pups head, reassuring him before he setting on the next grisly task. Showing the puppy how to eat a rabbit.

...…...

_That was messier than necessary._

For such a small rabbit there was quite a bit of blood and gore splattered over the youkai's muzzle and fore paws. Normally a catch like that was a bite or two at most but for the puppy to understand that the animal was for a meal he had to basically dissect it with his claws and teeth. Tearing the rabbit into pieces the puppy could eat. Giving Fooie his first taste of fresh meat and warm blood while basically wearing the rest of it himself. Knowing full well that if he returned to the town looking like this he'd invite a little too much attention, he decided to make a stop at the nearby stream where he could wash off properly. Fooie meanwhile was trying to lick his muzzle clean while padding along at his heels. Despite the sensitive way the pup handled the bunny's death he seemed to enjoy the taste of fresh meat well enough.

The sounds of cow bells rang faintly before them, not really an out of the ordinary sound considering they were out in farm country. Paying them no more heed than he needed to, he change direction to travel away from them without a thought. Bovines were very perceptive creatures and could tell when a demon was nearby even if their humans were clueless. As fun as it would be to frighten some cattle he preferred to clean himself off and resume teaching the puppy a few more hunting tricks before the daylight ran out. He cast a look to his side to check on the puppy and froze mid step when he noticed the pup wasn't there.

Golden orbs searched the imitate forest around him, not finding a trace of the little one anywhere. Though a quick sniff of the air told him the pup was still near, only moving farther away from him. With a discontent grunt he began to track the scent through the forest and just to add to his growing discontent, towards the cattle. He knew exactly what the puppy was after and picked up his pace hoping to cut him off before he reached the animals! Fooie though was very fast for a puppy and as the first baying moos and frenzied bell ringing rose, the youkai knew he was too late! Growling a curse he quickly closed in, soon discovering that the forest abruptly ended at the edge of a field. Sticking close to the underbrush to remain hidden, he maneuvered along as he searched for that mischiefious puppy.

The cows were all packed together tightly, possibly twenty or more, a few mooing in distress and one pawed at the ground. All held prisoner by a very fast ball of black and white fur that raced around them endlessly barking. The little Border Collie was absolutely fearless as he stalked and darted, expertly avoiding kicking hooves and goring horns. For being his first time taking on some live stock, Fooie seemed to know exactly what to do. A fact the youkai found rather impressive. If only this were a better place for the little one to practice that instinctual work ethic.

Out of the corner of his eye he caught the movement of someone vaulting over the nearby fence. The cattle's alarmed moo's had drawn the attention of both an elderly farm hand and a child. At first he began to worry about being spotted himself while trying to retrieve the pup. Until the wind suddenly changed direction and told him who the child was. Su Bok.

Now this had turned into a real predicament, what rotten luck that the one farm he happened to stumble on belonged to the Bok Family! This put Fooie in a precarious position. The youkai knew that the second the pup realized who that was he'd flee, but at the moment Fooie was completely focused on the cattle and oblivious to the danger. Determined not to lose the pup he leapt from the brush line and made a dive for the puppy. That effort though was thwarted as the cattle saw the incoming dog demon and panicked!

Mooing in terror the animals all tried to stampede in different directions, colliding with one another, tripping over one another and scrambling mindlessly to escape the threat. In an instant the puppy was lost in a cloud of dust and flailing bovines! Those that managed to break out of the group ran for it as fast as they could! Some crashing their way into the woods, one nearly running the elderly farm hand over while the child dove out of harms way.

The flailing of hooves and thrashing of panicked animals terrified Fooie to the point that he never noticed the large white dog trying to reach him. Instead the puppy dove and rolled, squirmed and scrambled every which way to avoid the frantically fleeing animals! Finally breaking away from the remaining herd and spotting a clear escape through a large, hay rimmed doorway of the barn. Much to the youkai's dismay.

That dismay deepened as Su Bok also spotted the puppy fleeing into the barn and quickly bolted from the elderly farm hands side in pursuit. A curse ran through the youkai's mind as he called out to the pup without thinking. Which in his canine form came out as a loud bark that further terrified the cattle. Sending one bovine bowling the struggling farm hand over in it's terror. Using the given opportunity he bolted away from the terrified herd. Barreling his way past the straw and immediately spotting the running form of Su Bok. What he didn't see though was the flock of white between himself and the child until …

*Quack-Quack-Quack-Quack-Quack-QUACK!*

Golden eyes widened as realization hit a second too late! Barreling head on into the flock! More ducks than he'd ever seen cooped in one spot took off flying in all directions! All quacking in alarm, buffering him with wings and scrambling over him in a frantic bid to get away! One quacking bird even landed on his face when it was knocked from the air by it's co-quackers. Blinding the dog and causing him to skid to a halt and brace himself until the birds all flew the coop! Leaving behind a gently falling storm of white feathers, dust, a single egg and one greatly annoyed dog demon.

While the chase was on inside the barn, outside of the barn an ox cart rolled up the dirt path guided along expertly by two young boys. Riding on the top of the cart was the young girl who's job was to make sure the freshly harvested bales of rice didn't roll out of the cart. As the cart rolled it's way towards the barn door the ox began to get nervous. The two boys quickly stopped the cart and soothed the animal while the girl turned around to watch as more farm hands ran into the paddock to catch the terrified cattle.

"There is something going on with the cows! " She called out while climbing down off the cart. Expertly ducking the grabbing hands of one of the boys as she ran for the paddock. Much to the annoyance of the boy who abandoned his brother and chased after her, calling out in exasperation at her.

" Hey! If we don't get this rice into the barn we're going to-" A monstrous roar cut the boy off and nearly made him trip as he skid to a stop. Widened eyes quickly turning towards the barn. Staring in amazement as ducks, chickens and a goat fled through the barn door in terror. Their way lead by the equally frightened ox that had taken off with the wagon.

The three children stood there and openly gawked for a moment, until the girl broke free from her stupor first and started to run for the barn instead. The boys gaping anew as one screamed. "What are you doing!? There is a monster in there!"

"I bet that is the Dog spirit the man talked about! " The girl cried out in a tone that sounded far too excited for the boys liking.

Looking utterly baffled one boy turned to the other. " I am not going in there! Are you?" Staring at his friend the boys eyes bugged out when he nodded, his startled gaze following as his friend abandoned his side and ran for the barn. Only to recover a second later and not wanting to be left behind he took off after them!

Inside the barn Su Bok was panicking! He had been completely unaware of the huge white dog when he ran into this barn. All his attention was on the puppy that he quickly cornered between two bales of hay. Catching the terrified little pup just as the ducks scattered several feet behind him. Fearing that one of the farm hands was there he took off running with the crying pup. At long last he had this little animal! After spending weeks being grounded, doing farm chores and being told he would not get the dog he really wanted. The nerve! All because of this stupid puppy! At last it was time for Su's revenge!

The pup though was not making it easy for him. While Su ran towards the back of the barn where the farm tools were the puppy cried shrilly and squirmed. Kicking and wriggling in a frantic effort to get free, but Su's grip only tightened to the point of crushing him. "Shut up you stupid dog! You should have drowned in the river! You can't even die right!-" The roar that erupted behind him caused his heart to leap in his throat and his eyes to widen!

But the puppy was knew who the roar belonged to. Frantically the little one barked and yapped in an effort to tell the dog demon where they were. Su also realized this and suddenly began running! Ignoring the sounds of hay bales being tossed in the air and heavy paws on the worn barn floor. Reaching a ladder the boy quickly raced up to the upper level of the barn. Having enough sense to kick the ladder down once he was at the top. For a moment he thought he was clever!

Then he saw the huge white dog effortlessly leap up onto the other end of the barns second floor without a ladder.

Giving a shriek Su quickly grabbed a hold of the next ladder and started to climb as fast as he could towards the barn's much higher and much smaller third floor. This level of the barn was rarely used for anything except as forgotten storage. As Su got to this third level he didn't stop. If that monster dog jumped to the second floor so easily, he'd reach the third floor as well! With a terrified whimper of his own the boy scaled up a stack of boxes while clutching the puppy and climbed onto the rafters that crossed the roof.

As Su climbed higher into the narrow rafters the youkai came to a stop. The boy had to be twenty five feet off the ground up there and any fall from that height would break his neck. As much as the youkai wanted to ring that same neck he was not about to let the boy get killed. Gritting his fanged teeth he began to wonder how he could snatch the boy from up there without risking the pup? Narrowing his golden eyes, he began to judge the distance of the jump when a voice rang out behind him.

"Su Bok! Give Fooie back to the dog! Give the puppy back!" The little girl's tone rose to a shrill level as she stared at the older boy. Behind her the other boys were watching in awe, their eyes locked on the huge white dog.

Su carefully crossed over one of the rafters until he reached a support beam in the middle of the roof. A flash of anger coming over his face the moment he noticed the girl below. "NO! He's MINE! "

"Fooie is not yours! You threw him away! You told us to lie about it! He's not your puppy anymore! Give him back to the Dog Spirit!"

"I SAID NO!" The older boy hollered at the top of his lungs at the young girl. His face twisted in a mask of rage towards her. "He is mine! My daddy said so! I can do what I want with him!"

"You were bad to Fooie! You always hurt him! Your daddy won't let you have any more dogs because you're mean to them! You're mean to everyone!" The girl by then was in tears and tugging at her own hair in frustration.

Su's face was bright red by now, had he been standing in front of the girl he probably would have throttled her in fury. Instead he squeezed the puppy tighter in his grasp as he screamed. "It's YOUR fault I can't have another dog! I…"

Another vicious snarl thundered through the barn causing the four children to cringe. The two boys diving into a pile of straw to hide while the girl stubbornly held her spot on the floor. Her tear rimmed eyes shooting up to the Dog Spirit, seeing a beautiful blue light shimmering around it's white form. It's light pierced by two crimson eyes that glared at Su.

Unbelievable! What was wrong with children now a days? This boy had horrible manners! Screaming at a girl and flashing her a murderous look. The thought of what may have happened if he was right beside her disgusted him! This child was not first to be in the presence of human nor animal in his opinion and with his anger flared he leapt up onto the third level.

Su's jaw dropped at the sight of the enraged white dog and quickly turned to run…forgetting he was on a narrow wooden beam! The little girl screamed from below as Su lost his balance and fell. Catching the beam with one arm while the other clung tightly to Fooie's hind leg. The pup yelping in pain and squirming about in a desperate effort to break free. The little girl quickly broke into a run, coming up under the dangling boy as she held out her arms. "Drop Fooie and climb up! I can catch him!"

Su though was not listening to the girl below, all he could see was the Dog Demon that leapt into the rafters. Momentarily struck in awe of the monster's grace as he landed lightly on the beam. Watching as the dried wood sagged a little under the dogs weight while wickedly large claws raked over it. A perfect example of terrible strength that was coming towards him. That moment passed and Su feared for his life. Desperately he tried to throw the only thing he had, the puppy! But lost his grip of both the rafter and the puppy in the process. The boy's eyes widened as he watched the beam slip from him in slow motion as he fell.

Down below the girl gave another cry and dove for the falling puppy, catching him just before he hit the ground though tumbling herself. As she rolled to a stop she curled around the puppy and braced herself, giving a sob as she heard a heavy thud hit the floor. Slowly she opened her eyes and gazed to the little puppy trembling in her arms, drawing her arms around the little creature as she buried her nose in its fur. Trying to draw strength to reluctantly turn around and look for Su.

She found him easily enough. Dangling from the maw of the Dog Spirit that was perched on a stack of hay bales. Very much alive if very much in shock. With a gasp the girl sat up. Watching as Su was unceremoniously dumped into a pile of hay. The Dog Spirit bounding down to the floor with an annoyed sounding snuff, before he turned towards the little girl.

The smile on her face caught him off guard, his head tilting a little in curiosity. "You saved him. You're not a bad spirit then, are you?" She asked softly before giving the puppy in her arms one last hug before setting him down on the floor. "Please take Fooie back to the man? Fooie really likes him, so he must be nice."

The pup looked around with uncertainty to the girl, his tail wagging a little. Though once he spotted the youkai he moved quickly towards him, his little ears drooping as he took refuge behind his foreleg. Craning his neck the youkai gazed down to the little trouble maker, flashing him a doggy smile that held as he gazed back to the little girl.

_One year later. _

A red ball bounced along the grass with a squeak before rolling to a stop. Seconds before a blur of black and white fur raced past to snatch it! Fooie skid to a stop with a triumphant snort before he turned to trot back. No longer was he a clumsy little pup with big paws and a tiny tail. He had grown into his big white paws and grew out his swishy tail. He also sported a nice medium length coat of shiny fur while his ears had a little droop to the very tips. One year later Fooie looked like a fine example of his Border Collie breed.

Chewing at the ball as he went the collie padded his way up to the giggling girl who tried to reach for the ball. Only to watch Fooie dance away from her reach and duck past the diving boys that tried to catch him. It was a game they had been playing most of the afternoon, fetch and keep away. All while under the watch of the youkai who rested contently under a tree.

This had been a common routine for him since that day in the barn. Once Fooie had recovered from the experience the youkai brought him back out for a walk. It took a little searching but soon he found the three children and properly thanked them. Then he surprised the three with an offer…a chance to play with the puppy.

At first Fooie was not keen on the idea. When the children came up he immediately shied behind his leg. Sadly this fear of children would haunt the poor dog for a long time. Though on a brighter note, it did not stop him from trusting them after a little while. It was a slow process but after a week Fooie began to warm up to the three children. The young girl especially who was quite patient and attune to Fooie. She was the first to greet him, the last to say goodbye and she never missed a chance to teach Fooie a new trick. All the while the youkai would watch contently. It was a win-win situation. The children had a bit of happiness every day and he had a peaceful night as the kids would wear the Collie down to exhaustion when they were finished.

He still attempted to teach the dog how to act like an Inu youkai and Fooie's hunting techniques were improving. The dog was also growing used to other little things like taking a bath every few days and even picking up his own dog toys. Although every now and again his border collie instinct would kick him, he'd thankfully stopped nipping. Plus he ignored livestock unless he was given permission to herd them. All in all the dog had grown into a fine fellow. He was proud of him.

The evenings first crickets began to chirp, breaking him out of his train of thought. They signaled the end of the day and the end of the games. Reluctantly the youkai pushed himself to his feet and took a moment to brush off his clothes. His gaze drifting to the children as he lightly clapped his hands to get their attention. " It grows late children, time to return home before it gets dark." He followed that with a sad little smile as the kids protested as usual. The two boys had just managed to catch Fooie while the girl was picking up the ball.

With a little sigh she kicked at the ground a little but did not protest. She never won that argument anyway, nor did she want to try. Thiers was a fragile little agreement and that she did not want to break. She didn't even know this man's name but he was nice enough to let her play with Fooie. That's all that mattered to her. She turned to the boys then and called out. "He's right, it's time to go home."

The boys groaned again before they let Fooie go and gave him their goodbyes, the dog basking in their attention contently. While the girl approached the youkai and held out Fooies toy ball. " Is Fooie coming back tomorrow?"

A gentle smile came over his face as Fooie trotted up and gave the girl a wet goodbye kiss to the cheek. A soft chuckle rising from him as he nodded. "Of course". Fishing the dog leash from his belt he caught a hold of Fooie's collar and clipped it on. Pausing a moment to wave goodbye to the three children before he gently urged Fooie to follow.

He spent the walk back to Tong's residence deep in thought. It had been a year since this dog came into his life and so much had changed. Tong seemed less inclined to bother him, although he did have his days where he could be a nuisance. He'd also seen more of that strange little Chinese girl he called his Niece. Lastly he had very seldom thought of his eldest, of the many times he sat on that back deck. He spent more time watching Fooie paying around than he did thinking about that cold night in Russia.

A lot had changed. Much for the better. As he finally reached the front door of Tong's home he stopped for a moment and reflected on it all. It had been a couple years now since he'd last heard from his master. The silence was a relief but deep within he feared when the time would come. When he would be summoned back to his former life. Perhaps he should have a little talk with Tong, arrange something for Fooie in the event he disappeared. With a soft sigh he gazed down to the dog at his side. Fooie gazed up to him with a tired but happy look on his face. The youkai giving a chuckle before he opened the door.

….

It was almost midnight when a servant roused him from his bed. Lucky for them he was not quite asleep yet anyway. Though the late evening disturbance did raise his suspicions. Drawing a long night yukata around himself the youkai followed the servant out of his chamber. Taking the opportunity to voice a little of his displeasure as they went. "I hope this is important. I do appreciate all Hua Tong does for me, but if this is one of his ideas I may just remove his head."

The servant managed to bow deeply to the youkai without missing a stride, much to his amazement. "A thousand apologies My Lord. But this is indeed quite important. A visitor has traveled non-stop to reach this place. He comes seeking you alone."

Ignoring the youkai's curious look the fellow shuffled along to an ornate door and came to a stop. Knocking on it only once in warning before pulling the door open for the youkai. Holding back a little sigh the youkai quietly stepped into the room. Just like all the others this room was elegantly furnished with an ornate table in the center. As with many of the others that table was filled with little plates of snacks and assorted items for tea. Unlike the others a familiar man was sitting there.

The man remained sitting for now, clad in a black suit and wearing his hair cropped short. At first the youkai didn't recognize him until he looked up. A pair of silver eyes flashing in the dim light of the room. "Sakagami I presume?" He asked is utter astonishment. How in the seven hells did this fellow find him? Drawing a breath to compose himself the youkai reached a hand back to shut the door tightly behind him. However this man managed to find him, the youkai wanted this talk to be private. Once he was sure the door was locked he turned back to his guest. Who nodded at him and greeted him.

"We meet again...Great Dog General."

Sakagami's silver eyes met his golden hues at that moment, a confident smile growing over the mans face. A smile that faded the moment he felt the very air around him growing cold. A sudden chill that nearly caused the historian to drop his tea cup. The result of the demonic power that unfurled around the youkai, a sign that he was not pleased. A cold look reflected in those golden eyes as he glared at the fellow.

Sakagami realized instantly that he was in trouble, apparently he said the wrong thing and now he was trapped in that tea room. With a large youkai standing right in front of the closed door, barring any hope of escape. Visibly shaken he scrambled to his feet, his knee bumping hard against the table in the process. Not that he did more then yelp as his silvery eyes remained wide and locked on the demon. Holding up a hand he gasped and started to babble. "Wait! For gods sakes please Wait! I can Explain!"

Saki tripped on a floor cushion and nearly landed back on the floor, the historian breaking eye contact with the enraged demon. In a panic he retreated to the farthest corner of the room. "L-look! I heard everything! -Well not everything! But a lot! I mean who couldn't, the fight was so loud. N-not that I was eves dropping! I mean!"

_"Silence."_

It was a single word, spoken in a low tone, but it dripping with so much power that the historian immediately lost his voice. He sunk down in the corner and trembled, never peeling his eyes off the youkai.

"Never again utter that title. You do not understand what it is that you invoke." The youkai stated in an icy tone, his face holding a look of calm though his anger was easily betrayed by the youki that surrounded him. Slowly he started towards the terrified historian, taking measured steps. "You are no stranger to demons, Sakagami. You should understand how dangerous a name or a title can be, for when you speak it, you are drawing the attention of a monster upon yourself."

For a grown man Saki looked on the verge of tears, he slowly nodded to the youkai's scolding as he pressed himself harder into that corner. "I'm sorry! I'm sorry! Your right, I shouldn't. I thought! Well...no, I am a fool. Hitorii told me everything. It was a stupid...very stupid of me. " With that said Saka rolled his head back and gave a nervous laugh.

"Hitorii." The name began to disarm some of his cold rage, bringing him to a stop as he breathed a soft sigh. "Hitorii then heard everything as well? "

The Historian stopped his laughing and lightly licked his lips in thought, giving a little nod a moment later. "He told me quite a bit about his Grandfather, but he just didn't understand why." Slowly he began to push himself up from the floor, feeling the cold ebbing away around him. "You know, I did l try and research your legend. Unfortunately you existed during a time that held few historical records. But there were tales of you that made it onto paper. Tales of a dog demon so powerful and so huge that people both feared and respected him. For his prowling the western border stopped many invasions and chased even the wickedest of demons away."

"I see no tales of my own wickedness have survived then." The youkai breathed softly as he moved to the table and sat down. Idly reaching over to fix the cups and silverware upset by Saki's hasty knee bump. "Indeed Historian, there is little recorded about me. For good reason, I did not like dealing with humans. Their obsessions with power, land and money were sickening, never content with what they had. Always looking to take more for themselves, those were plenty of reasons to avoid them."

Sakagami slowly inched back towards the table, reaching down to straighten a cushion once he was close enough. "So you hated humans then?"

"Of course not, not all of them were greed driven maniacs after all. Many were led by the strength of their hearts. They are, after all, capable of love." At last he felt calm again as he filled a cup with tea and settled down. "If you are here to ask me questions about my past, I am sorry to disappoint but the discussion ends here."

Saki gazed down to his own tea cup, for a moment surprised that it survived the jostling without spilling its contents. Expelling the last of his fear with a sigh he reached over to pick up the tea cup. "No. I do have many many questions to ask you of the past but that is not the reason why I am here. I came here to beg you for help."

The tea was still pleasantly hot and the aroma was rich yet slightly sweet, for a moment he savored the sip as he let Sakagami's words hang in the air. He wasn't sure he wanted to help this nosy little man after he admitted to knowing so much about him. Even going so far as to sift through the records for any sign of his past. The silence though did not deter the Historian.

"Please, this is not about me. You may have heard the news about the earthquake that hit Tokyo a few days ago. That wasn't a normal earthquake, something was emerging." A frown grew over his face as he watched the youkai's indifferent expression. Setting down his cup he sucked in a breath and snapped.

"It is a Fae, a very ancient and powerful one. She emerged somewhere in the outskirts of the city and as of last report we discovered that she is covering the city in a corrupting magic. Spawning monsters everywhere to cause chaos. We believe she is searching for something and that something is the way to open the gates of the underworld."

Earthquakes in Japan were nothing new, it was a string of islands along a major fault line after all. Monsters being disturbed by earthquakes or other natural disasters was nothing new either. A Fae though was not normal, a Fae interested in reaching the underworld was even stranger. What would a Faerie want with a world of human death? The youkai flashed the fellow a curious look over his tea cup.

"Please consider coming back with me. The Fae is bringing destruction on a terrible scale and we know so little about her. I cannot find anything in the archives matching her description. You are old enough, you must be an Arch Demon by now, so there is a chance..." his words died away the moment he heard that bitter laughter from across the table.

The youkai had to put down his tea cup and wipe a tear from his eye he'd laughed so hard. After a few moments he calmed down enough to flash the confused looking Saki a bitter smile. "An Arch Demon? Hitorii did not tell you everything then my friend. I am far from an Arch Demon. Sesshoumaru lives within Tokyo's borders, he is a Taiyoukai and more than enough to stop a faerie."

Rubbing his face Saka had to bite his tongue before he snapped something nasty. He had a terrible feeling he would not be able to bring this demon back with him. " I know what you are. An Inugami raised from a Daiyoukai. Only one in existence so pardon me for assuming the impossible from something that was already thought to be impossible." Letting his hands drop into his lap he cast the youkai a tired look. "Sesshoumaru is no where to be found, Hitorii is missing as well. There is no one else I know of."

That was interesting news, a major battle is in full swing and his eldest was no where to be found? Gazing down into his tea cup he mulled over this, there was no way he could go back to his home land. The risk was too great of being recognized and then what? When his master awakened would he have to go and slaughter every last person who lay eyes on him? Sakagami admitted to knowing information about him, he has no idea that he had sealed his fate. No idea that the demon he came here to ask for help would one day be his executioner. Rubbing a hand over his face, he gave Saka a little look.

"There is a temple in Tibet, they are holding some things of mine." The youkai whispered softly after a few terribly long moments. Saki gave a sigh of relief as he bowed to the demon.

"Thank you! I will send for them immediately! Thank-"

"I have conditions."

"Huh?" Lifting his head up the Historian peeked through his veil of black bangs before straightening up. "Conditions?"

"You mentioned 'we', I will inform you now that I will not be part of this 'we'. I will aid only from the shadows. No one is to know of my existence. You will return to whoever you are working with and you will tell them your mission was a failure." The youkai's eyes locked onto the silvery pools of the historians. "This is very important, you are to tell no one about me. Ever. Unless you wish to see them die. Do I make myself clear?"

Sitting back on his cushion Sakagami stared at the youkai for a long moment. He knew the demon could be quite dangerous when angered. He also knew that the youkai stuck to his word. This was not quite what he was looking for, but this was indeed better than nothing. Giving the demon a nod of agreement, the historian picked up his tea cup, holding it in a salute.

"As you wish."

End Chapter 24


	25. Unprepared at Best

Chapter 25 - Unprepared at best.

The expanse of blue ocean was a sight he'd not laid eyes on in a long time. The glistening surface and rolling blue waves brought with them a bag of mixed emotions for the Inu No Taishou. Hidden in the belly of a cargo ship the old Daiyoukai gazed out through a port hole window at the beautiful seas outside. Hundreds of years ago he used to cross these very same waters by ship or by his own power whenever his business brought him to the mainland. Back then he was free to travel without worry, now a days one needed a passport. Personally lacking such paperwork the youkai had little choice other than allowing himself to be smuggled into the country. Sakagami made the arrangements and managed to procure a very spacious travel compartment for him. A dog kennel.

_'Normally I would order a set of forged papers to grant you a passport and drivers license but unfortunately we are pressed for time and simply cannot wait. The best I can do is register you as a search and rescue dog and ship you there as cargo. Your requested items from Tibet will be shipped along with you.'_

The Historian's words still rang through his head as he pried open a long crate that bore the same shipping label as his kennel. Inside he found a fresh set of clothing that was black as night and looked like something issued to the military. Beneath that was his armor salvaged from his final battle as a hunter. All of it broken. The Lady Dragon had been a formidable foe and she had proved that by crushing and puncturing his armor while he was still in it. Remarkably though the Tibetan monks that nursed him back to health also managed to recover every last little piece. Along with his other possessions Including the two wicked swords that lay at the very bottom of the box.

With a little sigh he began to unbutton his Chinese shirt and set to work getting dressed. The combat uniform had the benefit of possessing many pockets though he didn't care for the steel toed boots that were included with them. Thankfully his hunters boots were still in good shape, his bracers were also semi intact. Unfortunately the rest was probably of little use to him. The armor itself was a copy of a late era samurai's although it was modified to fit together as one solid suit. Even the helmet, which was stylized after a samurai's with a closing face place that met with the helm, connected to his neck armor. The helm though was decorated and formed to look like the head of a snarling dog. At the center of it's 'forehead' was the emblem of that all seeing eye.

These emblems, four of them all together, were given to him by his master, each one embedded with spells that would aid him in his task as a Hunter. One for each bracer, one for his helm and one for his breast plate. All of which would need to be fixed again back into place. Only two would come with him for this mission. Had he been given this all a day or two ago he would have managed to repair a good part of the suit. Fixing one of the bracers he gazed out to the little window once again, seeing the fiery colors of the sun set over the ocean waves. Reminding him of how little time remained for him to prepare.

If memory served him right, Sakagami mentioned that the boat ride would be no more than twenty four hours. Unfortunately half of that time was lost as possibly every member of the ships crew came down into the cargo hold to look at him. All staring in awe, daring one another to try and pet him, even making humiliating comments, like saying he was big enough to feed a family of ten. If only they knew exactly what they were taunting. Had any of them known that he could possibly eat a family of ten, things would be different.

How lucky they were. It was frustrating to have to wait all that time while being treated as a side show. The thought of murdering all these fools in the dead of the night was a tempting one, wisely though he dismissed it as he buckled on the weapons harness around his frame. Finally he tugged out his weapons and lifted them both into the light. The twin swords Kokoro and Seishi. Each one about the length of a katana although they were much heavier and were doubled edged. Along the gentle curve of the blade ran a ridge of wicked razor edged hooks, meant to saw through flesh painfully. Each blade had a slate grey sheen with runes of magic that also made up the blood groove along the weapon.

These blades carried with them a terrible power and equally terrible memories, yet they were the only weapons he had. With a soft sigh he slid the blades into the partial sheath of the harness. Settling them right off his hip before gazing about. There was little more he could use from his old gear, everything else was too damaged to be worth while. He was still quite under prepared but it was better than nothing and as he closed the lid on that shipping crate he pondered over what he would face. Or more exactly, ponder over what little he knew of what he'd face. Sakagami had informed him that an earthquake shook the city and possibly awakened a very ancient Fae creature. But told him little else.

The historian had come to him knowing what and who he was. The city right now lacked a demon of authority, a Taiyoukai. Sesshoumaru having somehow vanished after the old Daiyoukai fled Russia. Now the burden of the role fell onto him and Sakagami did his best to help him prepare, but he lacked almost all of the important information. More precisely, what he was going to face. The historian knew little else. Or maybe he cannot reveal anything more? The thought that this could be a trap of some sort weighed on his mind.

Granted Sakagami had yet to give him any reason not to trust him. He was after all cursed by one Dog Demon, to think that he would consider crossing another one? Perhaps Sesshoumaru himself put the poor man up to this? No, that did not sound like something his eldest son would do. Somehow he doubted that Saka was out to get him killed, though he suspected he was looking for something else. Closing the lid tightly on the crate he stood up and took one last look around, making sure he did not forget about anything.

Once he was satisfied that he'd left nothing for the ships crew to stumble over he turned and crawled his way back into the kennel. A slender finger reaching out to hook onto the wire door before pulling it shut. The latch giving a soft click to tell him it was secure. With a deep sigh he let himself transform back into his canine form. Shaking off his fur a moment before he climbed up onto a large and overstuffed pillow to settle in for a nap.

…...

Sometime during his confinement in that little tomb in absolute darkness, he had snapped.

The torment and self torture proved too much and with a desire to escape it all he let go of his memories and simply stopped caring, stopped feeling and stopped resisting. He had also stopped responding to his captors touch as he lay curled up in the corner of his tomb. Many times he heard 'that voice' in his head and felt those cold fingertips caressing his face and brush back his hair. But each time he failed to answer or even respond, remaining motionless. Physically his body was still there but mentally he was elsewhere. Deeply lost in a dream world he crafted for himself. In that dream world he was wandering free through the country side, in the warm sunshine and amidst a world that felt like home. Here in his dream world he was not stuffed into an oversized stone coffin and left to rot, thus he was very stubborn about leaving it.

Then someone flicked his nose.

Instinctively he flinched and shifted a little, though any attempt to settle back down was thwarted by another flick to that sensitive appendage. He curled up more and hid his face into his folded arms trying to escape the teasing. Not caring about fact someone was there and summoning him. He wanted no part of what was going on here, he was happy where he was! Yet despite his resolve his grip on that dream world wavered a little as he felt two sets of hands grabbing his arms, tugging at them and forcing him to acknowledge his visitors. His head tilted a little as he heard a female giggle to his left, followed by another giggle to his right. Lifting his head he opened his eyes in time to feel a blind fold being slipped on, if he were normal he would have flinched. But in his current state he barely responded to it and tried to nest his head back in his arms.

"No-no! Don't go back to sleep, you must get up now."

The voice had such a sweet, musical tone to it, the woman sounded as innocent as a child but the strength of the hands pulling at him told him otherwise. Both women were tugging on his arms and urging him to rise, when he showed no sign of obliging the two began to drag him out of the corner instead. His stubbornness cracked and after a moment he finally obeyed. Awkwardly rising to his feet, ligaments and flesh long unused for years aching from the sudden movement. The awkwardness didn't end when he finally succeeded in standing and one of the girls moved quickly to brace him with her own body. His free hand came up for the blind fold but was stopped half way as someone grabbed it.

" You will need that, for someone who has not seen light in so long the dimmest candle glimmer would be painful. "

The two women gently tugged at him, urging him along with them and for the moment his obliged. Something within him rejoiced if only a little. Someone was with him, the solitude has come to an end. Then realization sunk through his fogged mind, they were moving him out of his tomb. He dug his heels into the dirt and let his head sink a little as he pushed back against the two.

"Where...are you...taking... me?"

His voice sounded strange, it sounded rough and old, it crackled like dried bark and it made him wonder a moment if it was even his voice. Unused until now it sounded unrecognizable. Petite hand reached up and cupped his face as warm breath brushed over his ear followed by a sweet tone. "You need a bath, we are taking you to be cleaned."

With those soft words a sense of calm washed over him, some little voice in his head told him it was alright. Nothing wrong with a bath right? Thus he no longer put up a fight as the women lead him away. He did though suffer a bit for the travel, his limbs so stiff creaked painfully as he moved. Because of that the walk felt like it lasted forever. When the first smell of humidity and sounds of a water fall reached him though he breathed a sigh of relief.

The girls only giggled. They sounded so innocent, so sweet, it was alluring almost. Then the two women grabbed at his clothing and stripped him down so fast he didn't realize he was naked until they pushed him into a pool of water. He stumbled and gasped a moment as he flailed about in a bid to hold his balance. Once he was finally standing on his own he slowly reached up for that blind fold once more.

The first splash of cold water down his back made him flinch! The second splash caused him to further shy away. The sensation of water running over his skin was alien now to someone who has spent so long in a dry environment. Soft hands gently took a hold of his arms, guiding him under a steady stream of water. It took a few minutes to get past the initial chill but once he was used to it he dared to relax. A clawed hand once more coming up to his blind fold, only to be smacked away as a sweet sounding giggle rang near his ear.

"Kneel down for me? You're so tall!" The same hands that still held his arms gently tugged on him, the youkai reluctantly sinking down to one knee then the other. Once he was settled down the two women went to work. The smell of fragrant soap filling the air as his hair was washed and his body scrubbed down. Unfortunately he was not used to being tended to like this and he did fight back, the feeling of embarrassment cutting through the dream like fog over his mind. Pulling away from the two women he attempted to get up when a wave of weakness sapped his strength. It was the same women he was trying to escape who caught him before he could hit the floor.

'_Settle my Treasure. Allow my aids to rid your of the years of dust.'_

It was a voice he'd not heard in some time, yet he could never forget it. Strength flowed back into his limbs as he sat back once more. Allowing the girls to continue cleaning him, tilting his head back a little as he felt fingers work the tangles from his hair. "You released me. Why?"

'_You were ready.'_

"Ready for what?" His voice faltered him a moment as he felt one last good splash of water over him. Without thinking he resorted to his own canine instinct and shook off! To the Delight of the two women by the sounds of their giggles. Coaxed back to his feet he was lead out of the pool of water.

'_Ready to come back to the living. Soon you will hunger, you will thirst and you will feel. You have dwelled in your 'death' for many years now, it is time you learned of your new life My Treasure_.'

Coaxed to sit on a chair he listened carefully to the words echoing through his head while he was being dried off. One of the women leaning close to whisper to him as she drew a comb through his silvery hair. "We are charged to take care of you. If you desire clothing, care or sustenance you will come to us." Delicate fingers ran through his tousled bangs, encouraging him to lean his head back. He began to voice his response when soft lips captured his own and smothered his words. In an instant his body went ridged and he roughly pushed the woman away. Though when one retreated the other slipped in and did the same.

Despite his hair still being caught he quickly turned his head to the side as pushed back the other one as well. "If this is what you consider 'care' I am not very interested!" A deep growl rumbled in his chest moments before something slapped him so hard across the face that his head snapped to the side. It caught him completely by surprise, never did guess these woman had this much strength.

"We hold your life in our hands. Remember that." Her sweet tone was like a sprinkle of sugar over her venomous words. As if she took pleasure in telling him that. In a small show of defiance he turned away from her and said nothing more. Silently suffering the humiliation of being groomed and brushed like some show dog. When he was finally dressed he was lead off by the two women into another chamber. Once he stepped inside he was immediately hit with the scents of food and wine and his stomach awoke from it's years of slumber with a growl.

"You can take off the blindfold now." The voice was so soft he almost didn't hear it. Reluctantly he reached up for the strip of cloth, pushing it away from his eyes as he chanced a cautious peek. The light in the room was very dim but still managed to sting his eyes. Yet he was determined to look around. The room was large and surrounded on all sides by stone. Yet there was very nice looking furniture that included a large bed, chests for items, a table filled with food who's delicious smell was distracting him terribly.

A soft giggle caught his attention. His gaze drifting to the two women behind him, taking in their sight for the first time. Staring at them in confusion. The two women stood maybe five feet tall. Their skin almost the color of porcelain and their eyes were a very snowy shade of light blue. Their hair may have been long if it wasn't bound up in a bun. Both wore a household yukata, both looked just like servants of a noble Japanese household. Yet he knew very well he was no where near Japan. Or was he? He stared at them in wonder as one shuffled her way right up to him, whispering softly.

"Why so disappointed? We only look like what you enjoy." A smile appeared on her face that looked as sweet as her words. Feigning timid she slowly reached her hand up to cup his cheek, drawing his face back to her as she leaned in close. Bathing his lips in her warm breath. "We can look like any woman you want, simply wish for it. As long as you remain ours, we will grant it." It was a bargain she offered and one he could not refuse. When her lips caught his this time he remained still.

He no longer fought.

...…...

Awakening with a start the youkai lifted his head and slid a little off the pillow. Much to the fright of a couple men peeking into his kennel. Golden orbs narrowed on the two gawkers as a little growl rumbled in his throat. The men immediately recoiled back much to the laughter of a third person that he had yet to see.

"That dog is massive! When I saw this box I thought they had a tiger in here!"

"It looks friendly to me. "

"Yeah? Why don't you reach in and pet him?"

"Like hell!"

"Shut up! Just help me load this thing already!"

_'I swear if this humiliation continues this boat will reach the harbor without a crew!'_ The dog glared daggers at another face that appeared on the other side of the wire door when realization hit. Japanese. They were all speaking Japanese, even the fool who was trying to sooth him with a 'nice doggy'. The kennel trembled a little as something heavy fell on top of it. Curiously he watched through the vent holes as a harness was pulled around the kennel and hooked into place. A moment later he felt the entire kennel lifting into the air as the men around it grunted with the strain.

"Wow! He's as heavy as a horse! He's got to be 300 lbs! Maybe 350! "

_'I am 220lbs thank you.'_ Another growl rumbled from the crate but the men this time ignored it as they hauled the kennel out onto the unloading bay of the ship. The cold morning air and crisp sunshine spilling into the kennel as it was set on a platform. Much to the relief of the men as they dropped it in place, one taking a last peak and offering him a cheerful wave before vanishing back into the dark belly of the ship. With a snuff the dog scooted to the front of the kennel and gazed out over the dock. Everywhere he looked there were people busily rushing about. Many operating forklifts that hauled large pallets of cargo. The air smelled of the ocean, diesel and fish, it was similar to the harbor in china yet not.

He was back home. The thought brought with it a strange feeling, the words hanging heavy in his mind, or perhaps it was his heart? It had been hundreds of years since he'd seen his homeland. Ever since the day he died he never again came back. Never expected to come back, yet here he was. The sound of an engine derailed his train of thought and he gazed over in time to watch a fork lift cruise up to the pallet he was sitting on. The machines long arms slid under the wooden platform and the machine groaned with the strain as he was picked up. The operator looking past the windshield with a worried expression on his face. The pallet though rose with some effort and the youkai settled back as they went for a ride.

Unfortunately the forklifts luck ran out when it reached the back of a flat bed truck. The machine made a horrible grinding sound and the entire thing came to a halt a few inches too low to clear the truck bed. The forklift came to a halt as a few other dock workers ran over to offer their help. All of which chattered over the best way to get the kennel in when a shout rose above their din. A voice the youkai recognized. Peeking out of a vent hole he spotted Sakagami quickly making his way up to the forklift. Panting some from the exertion as he waved a fist full of papers and motioned to the men to stop. "Hello! I'm sorry this is my cargo here, I have the proper paper work. If you don't mind I will take the dog out of his box? He has to be tired of being cooped up in here."

More like tired of the foul company he had to keep while in the box. Giving a snuff the youkai listened carefully as papers were unfolded and the operator gave his thanks. The fellow must have been convinced as a minute later the pallet was lowered back to the ground with a heavy thump!

Sakagami stepping up onto it before he crouched down and opened the door to poke his head inside. "Good morning! I hope you had a pleasant trip." His smile and wave brought him some relief, at last he could get out of this box and get away from this humiliation. That relief dried up though when he spotted something clutched in his friends hands. A collar and Leash.

A sweat drop rolled down Saka's bow as the dog eyed the collar. Quickly looking about to make sure no one was close enough to over hear he lowered his voice to a whisper. "I'm sorry, I really am, but there is a leash law here. I promise you I will make this as quick as possible!"

Now he knew how Fooie felt. When the puppy first saw the leash and collar he was not happy. But in time he grew used to it, as he would have to grow used to it if he wanted to get out of here. His mind briefly drifted back to his pet dog that he was forced to leave in China. It was a difficult decision to make and one he knew probably traumatized the Border Collie. But it was simply too dangerous to bring him here to Japan. Thus he had to leave the dog in the care of Hua Tong and the three children who had befriended him. This was the first time he'd been apart from that poor dog since he first acquired him and he could only imagine how lonely Fooie must feel right now.

The collar was buckled into place around his neck bringing his thoughts back to the task at hand. With another soft growl the youkai padded his way out of the box and out into the sun shine. Then he watched in fascination as the forklift operator promptly jumped on top of his vehicle while other dock hands backed off and gave him plenty of space. Unphased by it all Saka moved over to the forklift operator and casually took his papers back with a smile. Before he turned and lead the large dog away.

Sakagami practically marched his way through the docks, doing his best to avoid the dogs discontent looks. Which was more than he could say for the rest of the dock's population as people stopped and stared at the huge dog. The historian did not need a demons acute hearing to catch the hushed voices and gasps from those they passed. All the attention was making him feel a little self conscious and a little afraid as he could feel the demons annoyance through the leash in his hand. Picking up his pace a little the historian made a quick path through the docs, only breathing a sigh of relief when they finally reached the street and the black minivan that was packed there. For the demon's sake he did not waste a moment as he opened the sliding door of the van and let the dog climb inside.

The van had such a strong smell of plastic and glue that the youkai's nose crinkled the moment he stepped onto the carpet covered floor. Though now was not the time to be complaining, he knew he was cranky because of his trip and did his best to subdue it as he let himself transform back into his human form the moment the van door slid shut. Settling to a seat as he sighed and reached up to unbuckle the collar. Only to have his fingers touch his own warm skin instead. Well that was a first. He knew things disappeared when he shifted from human form to dog, but he never knew it worked in reverse as well. Under different circumstances he would have been fascinated. Right now all he did was growl a curse so furiously that it spooked Sakigami who happened to open the driver side door at the same moment.

Cautiously the Historian poked his head into the van and gazed at the disgruntled youkai in the back. Clueless really as to what could have upset the demon. It could have been the choice in vehicle or perhaps he was still flustered after being gawked at like a circus side show all through the docks? Swallowing back his fear he dared ask the obvious question. "Is all well Ancient One?"

"As well as can be." The youkai answered with a wave of a hand to dismiss the issue, there were bigger problems at hand than being stuck in a collar and leash. Settling back against the side of the van he consciously curbed his ill temper and closed his eyes. "Come inside and update me on the situation please."

The Historian needed a moment to feel assured of that before he climbed into the drivers seat and shut the door. Reaching for his briefcase he quickly produced a file that he passed over to the youkai. "Here, some reading material to keep you busy. It's a long drive through the mountains and over to the eastern sea board."

The offered file almost went unnoticed, the youkai having discovered a few things of interest in the back of the van. A case filled with unique tools and small weapons and a cooler packed with a few food items and cans of iced tea. One of which he cracked open and helped himself too before noticing the offered file. Taking both he retreated back to his spot in the cramped minivan and settled to read. Though the moment he lay his eyes on the first page a single word jumped out at him. "Taijiya?"

The van rumbled to life at the turn of a key and Saka was about to merge into traffic when he heard the youkai's question. A little smile playing over his face as he fixed his sunglasses. " Yes, there are still demons in this world, so there are still demon hunters. They were actually the first ones to detect the presence of the ancient power after the earthquake. They were tracking a series of spikes in supernatural activity in the city when they stumbled on this. Fae folk though, are not something they typically deal with often and they began reaching out for help with the issue."

Falling silent for a time the youkai looked over each page of the files report. Though so far he did not see much information on the power itself. In fact all of the information was partial at best, eye witnesses reports of what little they have seen and heard. Even a composite sketch of a woman with hair that nearly touched her feet. She almost looked like a Ju-on. A few details stood out for him though, one he voiced with concern as he studied the picture. "This Fae is situated in an old part of the subway system? I was under the assumption that she was overrunning the city?"

A little color or embarrassment appeared on Saka's face as he did his best to hide from the rear view mirror. "To be truthful Ancient One I have not gone to see any of this for myself. Simply hearing the stories about her was more than enough to convince me to seek someone like you. But you're right, she is holed up in the subway for now, not going anywhere yet her corrupting power is oozing up onto the city streets above her."

"Are you certain she is not simply toying with the Taijiya while preparing for an attack?" The youkai's words carried with them an unnerving ring that caused the historian to tighten his grip on the steering wheel. Not offering an answer as he stared hard at the road ahead. He didn't want to consider that, they had no idea what this fae woman was after. Why she even awoke. Faerie were well documented in other parts of the world but not in Japan. That was why he sought this demon out, he must know about this queen, he must know what they could do to stop her. He was there only...

"I am going to be honest Sakagami, I am not familiar with this woman. For this reason I am unsure what I can do for you. I am afraid I cannot-ulp!" The youkai's sentence was cut off as the van swerved wildly to the left and right before the driver slammed on the breaks and brought it to an abrupt stop. The youkai having to brace himself from being tossed around in the back as file pages flew through the air. When they finally came to a stop the youkai gave a low menacing growl as he turned to glare at the Historian. Only to recoil back as Sakagami stared at him in horror, looking on the verge of tears. Really now. A grown man was about to start crying?! He didn't like seeing a women cry but was unsure how he felt looking at this!

"I brought you here because I thought you would recognize this monster! You are probably as old as this Fae monster. You've lived for thousands of years, probably the oldest demon on this side of the planet. I'd think that something so ancient as you would know better than...anyone?" Sakagami stopped as he noticed the veins pop one right after another over the youkai's brow. Very slowly he sunk back down in his seat under the demons icy cold glare. Till something cracked loudly and made him jump! For a split second he considered bailing out of the van but only managed to get as far as ducking down into the driver's seat.

Taking in a slow deep breath, the youkai tried to stifle his anger. Filling his head instead with happy thoughts that often included crushing the historians rib cage under his boot. Releasing all his anger and murderous thoughts as he exhaled through his fanged teeth and calmly released his hold on the now crushed arm rest. Drawing another breath he brought himself into an almost zen like calm before he regarded the miserable Historian in the front seat.

"First off, I am not as old as you label me human. Secondly I am expertly knowledge in demons both here and from the mainland. Do not assume because I battle Fae that I am an expert of their kind. Lastly, allow me to finish you pathetic little wretch!" All his effort to settle his temper down was lost in those few moments and it was taking all his self control to stop his fist from reaching Sakagami's face. Drawing in a deep breath he once again attempted to dispel his anger so he could finish. "If you so remember, I have agreed to this and I will see it through to the end. Have I made myself clear?"

A little squeak from the front seat was enough of an answer for him as the youkai began to collect the paperwork spilled over the back of the van. One sheet though caught his eye as he neatened a stack, his gaze drifting over to a map of Tokyo. "It amazes me how much things change, I remember Edo being little more than a fishing village."

Climbing back into the driver sear the Historian buckled his seat belt and caught the sight of the youkai pouring over the map from the rear view mirror. " Edo then and Tokyo now, either name you decide to use you are still referring to a remarkable city. Between the 1600's to the mid 1900's that city was destroyed by either fire, quakes or war every fifty years and yet it rose from the ashes each time stronger than before." Sakagami's chest swelled with pride and renewed confidence as the van merged back into traffic.

"Then it is at least a hundred and fifty years overdue." The youkai smiled as he studied the circled points of interest on the map. Area's underground where their enemy was supposedly sealed marked with black lines. "What is the state of the city right now?"

"The area outlined in that map is evacuated, the public was told that the train station and subway tunnels around it are not stable. If you flip that map over the map of the subway system is shown there along with the closed off tunnels." Sakagami explained as he skirted around a slow moving car, the youkai turning the page over. A brow arching as he turned the page over again, a look of confusion slowly creeping over his face. The subway map looked like a child took some crayons and drew lines all over the city. Thirteen lines all together of varying colors, all compacted into a tangled knot in the center before branching out into the city. He'd never seen a train system map quite like this.

A snicker from the front seat caught the youkai's attention a moment later and he cast a side long look at his friend. This time though he couldn't blame him, it had been hundreds of years since he'd set foot in his home land. So much had changed in that time. As the van climbed the mountain road the land around them became more visible. He knew this mountain, he once stood near the top and gazed over a land that was thickly covered in forest. Here and there smoke would rise above the tree tops from the cooking fires of small villages. This area was once part of the Western Lands he controlled, the very same territory he used to patrol. Back then he knew every one of the village heads, he also knew the tengu that used to live on this mountain as well.

Now all he could see was a land cut, carved and reshaped by human hands. The majestic forest broken apart by rooftops and taller buildings, paths were carved into the land for roadways and a thin layer of smog blanketed the area. The longer he gazed out the window the more he felt a sense of loss, yet at the same time awe. After a few long moments reality sunk in and he couldn't stop the bitter smile that spread over his face. He was not home. One cannot truly come home when home no longer exists. Drawing his gaze away from the window he shuffled the papers resting in his lap and settled in. They had a long way to go and he had much reading to do.

...

"Furui? Ancient one? Wake up!"

He wasn't sure when but sometime during the drive he'd nodded off. The rhythmic drone of the van's motor and the gentle rocking motion of the vehicle had been rather soothing. All he did was close his eyes for a little break after reading and out he went like a light. Only to be awakened by a hand on his shoulder, gently shaking him back to wakefulness. A groggy eye opened a slit and gazed to Sakagami who smiled apologetically. "I'm sorry Furui, but we are almost into the condoned part of the city. I have a pass to get through the check point but I don't have one for you."

They had already reached the city, the youkai gave a large, fang baring yawn before he stiffly sat up and gazed out the van window. His first impression of Tokyo was that it contained an awful lot of ugly concrete. He remembered some of the cities he traveled through in Russia, how the buildings had some decorative architecture that lessened the harsh looks of the buildings. The huge buildings in Tokyo on the other hand were mostly featureless concrete, straight lines and looked like they were practically built on top of one another. Many buildings were raised in a hap-hazard manner, as if no one took the time to plan where they would go. It amazed him that anyone knew how to get around a place like this.

Remembering his friend he cast him a sidelong look as the corner of his mouth quirked into a little smirk. "Will a dog need a pass to get beyond the security line?"

"Last I checked no, but I do hear they sometimes strip search dogs."

"As long as there are no cavity searches."

Sakagami couldn't help but give a little laugh to their light hearted banter. Reaching into the passengers side seat he pulled out a small bag and tossed it over to the youkai. "Here take this. Inside is a mobile phone and a list of phone numbers. As well as a few other little helpful things and just in case you are caught by the Taijiya, my contact information."

Catching the bag the youkai arched a brow a moment at his friend. "Our agreement?"

Sakagami smiled and slide back into the drivers seat. " Yes I am honoring it. No one knows of your presence here including the Taijiya. So if they see you they will think you are a rogue demon or worse. I am sure you know how to deal with a few demon hunters, but just in case they do get lucky and take you prisoner. I just ask that you please not seriously injure or kill anyone while fighting them or fleeing."

That was potentially a tall order right there. Sadly he harbored a long standing grudge with the Taijiya. In his career as an active Daiyoukai he commanded a sizable territory where both youkai and humans were his to deal with. One of those humans was a Daimyo he personally chased off from the western lands.

The Taijiya entered the picture when that Daimyo contracted the hunters to dispose of him.

The Demon hunters rallied nearly every able bodied warrior they had and set on the march through the mountains to his domain. When it was all over barely a quarter returned the way they came. The Youkai though could not take all the credit for their defeat. The hunters also managed to anger the Tengu Lords that lived in those same mountains. They also ran into many lesser taiyoukai of forests and rivers that took out many of their number. By the time they found him, they were a fair number smaller than what they started with. In the end though all the blame was placed on his shoulders.

Every decade or so since, the Taijiya would try their luck again. Usually their strongest and most gifted fighters came looking for him. Each looking to make a legend of themselves. Very few of those promising fighters ever returned home. As the years continued and he grew larger and stronger the demon hunters began to leave him alone. That was until one very confident young man appeared one foggy morning in first month of the harvest season. He offered no reason other than to avenge his ancestors and he had the skill to nearly succeed in his mission. He was fast and athletic in ways he'd never seen before. The acrobatics were worthy of awe even from him. Till the young Taijiya managed to slip a blade through a chink in his armor and slice him a grave wound.

That young man would have won, had the youkai not crushed his leg right after. Rending him pertinently a cripple. It was out of anger that he decided to punish that young man so severely and it was something he came to regret later. It rekindled a flame of bad blood between himself and the Demon Hunters that remained until the day he succumbed to death. Now here he was, expected to work close to them yet remain unseen.

Sinking down to all fours he began to unfurl his youki when something caught his attention. A charge in the air, slight as it was, but still there. It caused his nerves to tingle and pricked at his skin. A charge he'd felt many times before and it made his blood run cold as he rose back up. His eyes narrowing as he gazed through the windshield. Wherever this charge was coming from it was getting stronger by the second. With his heart in his throat he just barely managed to hiss out a warning. "Something is approaching!"

Sakagami looked up into the rear view mirror as he slowed the van, his silver eyes widening a little when he caught the concerned look on the old demons face. "Furui what is it?" He wanted to ask more but never managed as something heavy landed right onto the roof of the van.

End.


	26. Demon Hunters

_Authors Note: I wanted to thank my readers again for being so patient with me. I know I said I wanted to put out two chapters a month but I write as a hobby in my spare time. For a few months that spare time has become less, so I didn't always meet that expectation. As of next week my time will be even less. For six weeks I will be taking an intense college course. I do plan on putting out chapters in November and December, but they may be noticeably shorter. Before when I write I tended to aim for 8-12 pages per chapter. Now I am looking at 6-8 pages. Sometimes less._

_On the bright side, this next Story Arc is biased off of a Role play. So I wont have to sit there and hunt down plot bunnies as much as before. On the negative side, my course home work may eat up all my spare time. Either way I want to tell my readers that I am committed to writing this story and to please bare with me as the next chapter may take a little time to come. I find the reviews very encouraging and again I thank you! _

_I also wanted to publicly thank my editor Shinigami Hilde. She's the one who catches my truck load of grammar errors. ^.^;_

_Now...onto the story. _

Chapter 26 - Demon Hunters.

The Tokyo metro system was famous for having over a hundred thousand passengers traveling through it on any given day. The subway stations normally filled with enormous crowds of people boarding trains, or disembarking at their destinations. So it was an eerie sight to see a station empty. It's platforms silent and covered in debris while the tracks were buckled and twisted into steel knots. All around the station what exits and entrances that were not caved in were walled off with cinder blocks. Along with the one remaining tunnel that stood the test of the earthquake was now barricaded off. All lit by the dim yellow luminescence of emergency lights. At first sight it looked like a hastily constructed bomb shelter.

At the heart of the station stood walls that were nearly six feet thick, forming a cell around the remains of what was once a control platform. On one side was a re-enforced door, an open case of electronic equipment and a one very bored looking guard. Standing a little over six feet tall the young man was clad in a black and red outfit that was snug to every corded muscle along his frame. Belted around his waist and thighs were two sets of glock pistols and several rounds of ammunition. With a dramatic sigh he ran his fingers through his dark, spiky hair and began to pace back and forth. A disgruntled look on his face as his eyes scanned over the abandoned station for the hundredth time. It was a boring job and he began to envy his comrades that were out in the city hunting monsters.

In a twisted way he wished something would happen to dispel this boredom.

At first the fact that their prisoner was so quiet was a blessing with the chaos that had erupted on the surface keeping many of the demon hunters busy. Though none of the Taijiya were convinced that this creature was quiet due to any of their efforts. It was biding it's time. For what it would do when the time came was anyone's guess. Until then the creature slept, never making so much as a peep.

For the sake of alleviating this boredom he wished that monster would awaken, as arrogant as that seemed. For all he knew the monster sealed behind these thick walls could possibly destroy the rest of the city, but at least he'd be relieved of guard duty! Leaning back against the cinder block wall he gave a cavernous yawn before rubbing the back of his neck. " When is this shift over? I feel like I've been here for years!"

"You've been there exactly one hour, Gosan."

At the sound of the voice the young man gave a little yelp and pushed off the wall hurriedly standing at attention with wide eyes. Though recovering quickly enough as he flashed a crooked grin at the middle aged looking taijiya that strode over. " Sorry Boss. Babysitting this monster is kind of boring. Think we could get a TV down here?"

The middle aged man rolled his eyes and shook his head. Despite his age and a slightly showing bald spot he was quite muscular and like his subordinate, was clad in form fitting black armor with navy blue decorations. With a mustache lined frown he walked past Gosan and crouched down by a large equipment case settled beside the armored door. Picking up a hand held screen and gazing at it a moment. Beyond the doorway a single inferred camera stood watch of the cells interior. It's motor whirring softly as it constantly moved back and forth, scanning the ghostly scene of swirling cold air and mist. The only thing it has seen since it's installation.

This image brought him a mixed bag of relief and worry. Lately the monster had been very quiet, almost too quiet. Rising to his feet he calmly turned to his subordinate and shoved the screen into his hands. "This is the only TV you should be concerned with, Gosan."

The younger Taijiya took the screen with a flat look. " Can I get a sports channel on here at least? I heard the Tigers are playing."

One look at his superiors glare was enough to shake Gosan out of his humor, straightening up again he gave a little salute. " Yes sir, sorry Sir!"

Shaking his head at his subordinate the elder Taijiya turned to walk away without another word. Taking care not to show his sad little smile as he went. Gosan's boredom was understandable, he was never one for guard duty, but there was no choice here. There was a foreboding energy oozing out of that cell and over the last few hours it had intensified greatly. Meanwhile the chaos in the city above was intensifying. Gut instinct fore warned him, and it was that worry that Forced the Tajiya leader to put one of his best fighters to watch the cell.

It was also the most trying time the Taijiya have faced since he took leadership of the secretive group. Quietly he stepped up into what had once been an information booth, now turned into a mobile command center. Sinking heavily into a chair he blew a little mushroom sigh. Back in his day the Taijiya group was much larger and operated alone. They kept not only the youkai in the city but the other supernatural creatures in check. Those were the days when it was perfectly alright to gun down one of those monsters in the streets without an issue. All the attacks carefully planned and coordinated to look like everything from Yakuza hits to terrible accidents.

That was during the time that his father was the commander of the Taijiya and the man controlled things with an iron fist. The role of the Taijiya was to protect humanity from the monsters that still lurked in the world and his father performed his duty with a merciless determination. Killing any and all youkai that became known to the group. A tactic that had severe drawbacks. Youkai had a hierarchy that was similar to a food chain. Removing an alpha predator, like a taiyoukai, caused the smaller demons to run amok and the more powerful ones to compete to fill the empty gap. Endangering people in the process and drawing the Taijuya to slaughter more demons. When he finally succeeded his father twenty years ago, the first thing he addressed was this bloody and endless cycle.

It was a monumental mission and one filled with plenty of challenges. For both the Demon hunters and their quarry. The fist being the way they handled their work, instead of answering each complaint with a mindless slaughter, they conducted full investigations of each case brought to them. Deciding the best way to handle each demon involved based on the results. During this new process they discovered many of the supernatural that would be of benefit to them. From those who kept order among their brethren, to wise old peaceful ones filled with information. During his rule of the Taijiya, they group formed alliances and finally broke the bloody cycle imposed by his father.

It also caused the Taijiya's fall. Youkai were very secretive creatures, as well as highly adaptive. Though to this day he was not sure why, the reports of their activities dwindled more and more. As such, the number of Taijiya dwindled. Few knew of them anymore, until one day a member of Japan's secret service contacted the Taijiya. It was a tentative partnership which gave the Demon Hunters access to resources. It was certainly some relief though there were times that he feared it would not be enough. Like right now.

Rubbing his chin the Taijiya leaned back in his chair and closed his eyes. The city was shaken badly by an earthquake and something horrible had awakened deep under it's streets. His small group of Demon hunters were not enough and were currently pulled dangerously thin. Every day that passed his group was pushed ever closer to their limit. All of them had little sleep, little time for rest. They worked in shifts but as the conditions above worsened they began to fall behind. Now their fears turned to the monster walled into this train station, what did that thing have in store for them?

The radio sitting on the desk crackled loud enough to startle him. With a grumbling sigh he smoothed his mustache and picked up the hand set. Clicking a little button on the side. " Go ahead."

"Sorry to bother you boss, but there is another one."

The words were barely audible over the crackle, but they still manage to bring a deeper frown to his face. They would be no rest for him anytime soon. Drawing a deep breath he clicked the button again.

"10-4, give me your location, I am on my way."

…...

Sakagami lay slumped over while dangling from his seat belt, the smell of blood quickly filling the van. In the back of the over turned vehicle the Daiyoukai was regaining his senses and taking stock in the few bumps and bruises he'd sustained when they went tumbling along the road. Testing each limb to be sure he'd not broken anything before crawling his way over to the Historian. Two clawed fingers gently pressed over his friends neck and after a tense moment, he released the breath he was subconsciously holding. Saka was still alive at least, but the smell of blood was becoming stronger by the moment, warning him that the injuries were grave. The youkai reached up to tear the seat belt free when something heavy hit the side of the over turned van. Buckling the side in further under it's weight.

The remaining glass shattered and metal tore as huge claws ripped through, narrowly missing the two occupants within. There was no time to free his friend and with reluctance he left the mans side as he slammed a heel into the rear hatch of the van. Rolling out the moment it opened before kick flipping back to his feet, turning to face their attacker as he drew both blades from his belt.

The monster turned it's grotesque head towards the youkai, the creature itself looked like a disturbing mix of cat and possibly a rhino. It's body was covered in what he could only describe as decaying fur that was missing in greasy black patches. The monster was easily bigger than the minivan and heavily muscled with a hunched back. It's limbs were thick, the paws were huge, the tail short and it's face looked like a tigers with a huge mouth filled with fangs and a set of horns rising from the bridge of it's nose. The Inu No Taishou had seen some pretty terrible looking cats in his time, but this one seemed to top them all.

Though this was the first cat he had ever come across that reeked this much of dark magic, perhaps even necromancy. The pungent smell filled his nose and gave him goose bumps. This was a magic he was uncomfortably familiar with and had it been another time he would have taken measures to investigate further. But the scent of blood was growing stronger, Sakagami's time was running out.

Bounding his way up onto the overturned van where the monster cat perched, the youkai executed a quick series of sweeping strikes with those wicked twin swords. The monster giving a thunderous roar as it's huge claws tore free from the van and slashed back in an even faster maneuver. But it's paw could not get past the painful bite of those darting swords. Quickly he managed to slash at the monsters flesh while putrid blood and matted fur went flying. See that he had the advantage on his ugly foe, the youkai pressed the attack relentlessly, meeting each oncoming paw with a swipe of the blades. Steadily moving closer to force the monster back from the van and whipping the beast into a fury.

There was only so much ground he could gain in his effort, with another roar the cat lunged for him and only a desperate leap spared the youkai from the bone crushing jaws that snapped at him. Landing on the other side of the van he quickly turned as the huge cat leaped after him. It's huge jaws opened again in a snarl as it came in for another bite. It's jowls dripping with vile smelling saliva in anticipation of fresh meat, only to get a mouth full of spare tire instead. With a growl he kicked the tire deeper into the cats mouth for good measure. The beast's head snapping back as it made a gargling noise. Rearing back on it's haunches it desperately swung it's head in an effort to dislodge the rubber thing from it's teeth.

While the cat was distracted with the tire in it's mouth the youkai quickly took the offered opening and leaped up for his opponent. A clawed hand catching the monster by the horn on it's nose and using the momentum to swing him up into the air. Wielding both blades in hand he delivered a fierce overhead stab that drove both right into the monsters skull. The cat giving an ear splitting screech as it violently thrashed from side to side and desperately clawed at it's attacker with both paws.

The battle by then was already over, the Necrotic monsters fate sealed the moment the youkai planted both boots onto the grease covered fur. With one violent wrench of those weapons the youkai split the monsters skull wide open . Giving a beastly sounding growl of his own as the sound of splitting bone gave him some sense of satisfaction. Sadly he was not allowed much time to enjoy it more as he tore out Kokoro and Seishi in time to fend off the monsters frantic clawing. Taking the first chance that came his way to retreated back and make a jump for the van.

The cat made another horrible gurgling sound as it leered to the side, it's huge bulk falling hard onto the broken pavement. Putrid blood and gore oozing from the monsters opened skull as it writhed in it's last death throws. From it's matted fur a dark fog began to rise, growing thicker and heavier until the cats body was completely swallowed up. Keeping a safe distance he watched the scene with growing curiosity as he felt the magic surrounding the beast dissipate, before the fog itself followed suit. Leaving behind the chewed up spare tire and the decomposing corpse of a house cat in it's wake. Someone's family pet, turned into a blood thirsty beast, considering how many pets were in this city this news was by no means a good. Who ever was behind this had literally an army that was ready to be summoned.

" Lucky for me these monsters are of little challenge." The words were more to convince himself. In the end these were still domestic pets, not much of a fight. For a moment he felt better about the situation, until he heard something clatter loudly onto the pavement a few hundred feet away. Gritting his teeth he abruptly turned in time to see the concrete face of a four story building collapse onto the street. From the dust and rubble more necrotic monsters emerged, many more. He didn't have the head at the moment to count them, all he could see were that some looked animal like...others looked human. Their bloated and discolored bodies mutated into 10 foot high behemoths of blackened flesh that only passingly resembled a human.

No longer did he feel good about this situation.

With a hissed curse he quickly looked to his companion. Sheathing both blades at his belt with a loud snap, the youkai quickly reached down and tore the drivers side door off the van. Taking a little more care as he carefully gathered the wounded Historian up and pull him on top of the destroyed vehicle. A large gaping wound ran all the way down one of his arms and was the worst source of his blood loss. Pulling Saka's suit coat off he hurriedly tore the garment into strips and worked quickly to bind the arm up quickly and stem the flow of blood. It was a crude measure but it just maybe enough to spare his friend from bleeding to death.

There was certainly no time to do any better as he felt the ground tremble under the van. An aftershock caused by the stampeding monsters. Heaving Saka over his shoulder the youkai kicked off the van a split second before another cat beast came crashing down onto it. Landing lightly on his feet his only free hand drew a blade and held it ready, his cold blue eyes locked on the first incoming human Necrotic monster.

…...

Anyone who saw the Taijiya leader grooming his mustache knew he was perturbed about something. Right now he was grooming that facial hair non-stop as he surveyed the scene of what must have been a brutal battle. Offhandedly he counted eleven corpses of animals and two human cadavers. At the center was a twisted pile of plastic and metal that was once a van. Surrounding it were huge, claw like gouges in the earth. While the rest of the neighborhood was utterly destroyed. It looked like a war zone. Yet the only casualties were the Necrotics.

"Riko, you said that you saw one man come out of the van and kill all these things? A single man?"

Something inside the van moved about, after a moment a pair of petite hands slipped out the broken door and gripped the frame. Allowing the woman the leverage she needed to vault out of the side of the wreck and sit lightly on the edge. She looked quite young with a small build of only four and a half feet, her dark red hair cut even over her shoulders. Like the rest of the Taijiya she was clad in form fitting armor with indigo decorations. She looked as cute and sweet as a teenager. Turning to her leader she flashed a sweet smile. "If you keep doing that Sentei you're going to rub all your facial hair off. "

His brow arched at the tease, before Sentei gave a sigh and slowly lowered his hand from his face. Returning his playful subordinates look with a frown. "This is hardly the time to tease Riko."

"Yes, yes, I know. I'm just warning you before you lose anymore hair." She gave a soft giggle despite her superiors face turning red in fury while he subconsciously brushed his hair over that barely visible bald spot.

Ignoring his look she swung her feet and continued. " I never saw the man before, he looked really tall, built like a warrior and definitely not human."

The angry shade of red on Sentei's face slowly faded as he took in that information. Folding his arms over his chest. "How are you so sure? Did you approach him?"

"I didn't need to. The way he moved, his reflexes and the pair of evil looking swords he was carrying was proof." She looked over her shoulder then and gave a nod to the cat corpse. "He also cracked one of the Necrotic's head open like a walnut. No human has that kind of strength."

This was not news he wanted to hear, there was something else out here now and it was strong enough to dispatch a group of these morbid monsters on it's own. Folding his hands behind his back he continued to survey the damage, looking for clues. "Did you happen to see where he went?"

" That Sakagami guy was with him. You know? That creepy silver-eyed man?" Riko commented offhandedly as she gathered up the torn suit jacket left on the scene and hopped down to the broken pavement. Making her way towards the other Taijiya as she held up the tatters. " He's hurt badly and our new suspect carried him off after bandaging him up. This guy took the time to bandage him up, so I am guessing he wants Sakagami alive."

The sight of the tattered coat brought a chill to Sentei's bones, though the reality scared him a little more. Slowly he took the jacket from the young woman's hand and looked over the bloody damage. Whispering softly to himself. "Sakagami, what did you do you fool?" Although he knew he'd get no answer here. Looking back over to Riko then he gave a nod.

"I will send the call out, meet up with the others. We need to move fast if we want to catch up with them."

...Chapter 26 End.


	27. Darkness

_Authors Note: I want to apologize for the long delay in updating. Turns out that college course was more intense than expected. If my nose wasn't in a text book then it was in my note book. Leaving me no time to do anything else. It's over though so I am free to write again. Thank you again for reading and being patient with me. _

Chapter 27 - Darkness

An eerie mist hung above the broken floor, swirling and churning on it's own magical breeze. Giving an eerie glow as it caught the dim luminescence of a single orb of light as it hung in the air and danced like the flame of a candle in the dark room. Directly below that pale light a dark liquid that looked as viscous as molasses pooled around a cluster of broken concrete that formed the base of a pillar. At it's very crown rested the form of what looked like a young woman garbed in a silken black robe.

She had the skin color and complexion of a human and a face that held so much beauty and innocence that some may mistaken it as angelic. With her high cheek bones, full lips and the warm glow of a soft blush she could stop the casual observer in their tracks. Despite the fact that her head which was currently nestled in the confines of her hood, was clean of any hair.

On top of that concrete pillar she rested in comfort as if she were laying in the softest bed. With her head pillowed against her arm she looked quite peaceful in her sleep. Just as she had slept for several days now. This was the image she wished to maintain for It was the perfect cover. For it gave her human wardens no reason to suspect her silent workings and no clue as to the fate that was fast approaching them.

Despite her appearance as a sleeping beauty she was in truth quite active, always attune to her creations. Her children born of her dark magic all carried with them a connection with their mother. Softly she would speak to each one as they roamed the streets above her and in turn she would know how strong their numbers were growing. Furthering her reach into the humans strong hold of steel and iron with every new kill. Savoring in their pleasure as they turned the city into a hunting ground.

All this while the humans dwelling on the surface were unaware. The level of ignorance they harbored astounded her. No longer did they believe in magic and spell craft, thus they were completely unaware of her attack. Many who saw her creations with their own eyes, doubted their existence and their own sanity almost automatically. Leaving them as easy targets.

Obviously though, there were still some who knew better. Yet in the end they were still ignorant fools. Even down here in this subterranean tunnel, these humans believed they were holding her captive. Little did they know they were providing her with everything she needed to concentrate on her curse undisturbed. Yet in the darkness of her cell, she could still hear them prattling amongst themselves over how they can save their sad little city.

If only they knew how amusing they were. How much pleasure she took in listening to their vain hopes and ill-thought plans to save their fellow human fools. Her full lips curled into a sweet smile as she dreamed of the surface world made all her own. The humans steel and iron becoming the gates to their tombs while her children walked the soil of her domain.

It was a lovely dream, one she cherished and savored like the sweetest wine. Content and confident that very soon, she would be enjoying the sound of her captors screams. Until her dream was violently slashed apart with frightening speed. So much so that at first she thought it was a mistake, had one of her children been accidentally killed? It must have been a careless monster, her children were generally too powerful to be brought down by the humans. Even these warriors lurking around here found it no easy feat to kill one of her monsters.

Then she sensed another one of her creations dying, followed quickly by another both felled by the painful bite of a bladed weapon. One that was dipped in ancient magic that permeated her own. As the death count began to rise her smile vanished from her lips. A petite hand slowly balled to a fist as she tried to reach out to her children that were being cut down, searching for the spark of their existence in which to raise them again. Only to discover in her growing rage that it was not there! What ever this was that was killing her children, it had the power to destroy her spell!

"Who ...dares...?!"

A soft hiss rose from her lips to break the silence of her cell, all around black pools of darkness began to bubble in her quickly building fury. With her slumber disturbed she opened eyes that were as black and depth-less as voids. Her once angelic face twisting into a mask of anger and hatred.

"My children! Who dares slaughter my beautiful children!?"

The black pools around her were boiling over, spreading out over the broken floor around her. With a blood chilling snarl she elegantly pushed herself up off the stones. Much to the terror of the floating orb of as it fled higher above the enraged woman, intensifying it's light as it trembled. Allowing her to take her first glimpse of her cell and the tiny red light that shone near the door. The camera that hung there recorded every second of the Dark Queen's rising, up until she turned her snarling face towards it. A split second later a black ball of goo hit it hard enough to crush the device. Causing the young Taijiya who was watching the screen on the other side to jump with the startle!

Gosan regained his composure after a colorful string of curses and quickly drew out both of his glock pistols. Clutching them at the ready and aimed at the door as he heard a terrible keening wail echoing inside the cell. A sweat drop rolling down when he realized the action he so desperately wanted was about to come and get him! What was that old saying...?

"Be careful what you wish for."

...

The city of Tokyo stood as possibly the greatest example of human perseverance. Through out history from its humble beginnings to the modern day, the city has suffered numerous catastrophes. From massive fires to vicious warlords and in recent history the bombings of Allied forces during World War II. Each time the city suffered terrible damage and each time it rose from the ashes. It's buildings and homes rebuilt to be better and stronger than before. It was safe to assume after enduring hundreds of years of repeated destruction, the city has basically seen it all and was prepared for anything. Including the ever present earth tremors and quakes that often shook the region. Each shiver a routine reminder that the earth was very much alive.

Until a few days ago when the earth quaked with a ferocity that had not been felt in hundreds of years. Rocking buildings on their foundations and buckling streets in it's violent shaking, not to mention rattling the nerves of the cities residence. Little did they know however what this quake had awakened deep beneath their feet. In fact very few of the cities population were aware of the sealed off portion of Tokyo. Some may have been annoyed that the train station there was inaccessible, many just assumed the condemned area was heavily damaged from the quake. The typical response among the population was to pay it no further mind. All blissfully unaware of the horrors unfolding there. Except for an unfortunate few.

Deep within the condemned part of the city, what were once bustling streets lined by busy shops and cafes, now looked like a war zone from a science fiction novel. Deep fissures ran through the streets, sections of concrete buildings lay broken on the ground level and utility poles were toppled like trees. If the destruction was not enough, here and there one could see a shimmering black liquid bubbling out of storm drains or seeping through cracks in the walls. As thick and viscous as molasses, it gave off a smell of decaying flesh that was so strong that it made the old Daiyoukai sneeze!

The Inu no Taishou irritably rubbed his sensitive nose as he inspected a pool of the goo carefully. Doing his best to tolerate the stench that was both absolutely putrid and yet perfect. For hidden amidst the foul odor was the scent of the magic that created it. Nearly impossible for anyone else with a lesser sense of smell to detect. Necromancy had a unique scent on its own, if he had to describe it he could relate it to the odor of rotten fruit. Though not all death magic was the same, some was demonic in nature, others were spiritual or hex related. As such each possessed a slightly different scent, though most of which he had encountered at least once before.

Not this time however, he was quite stumped. What little scent he could pick out from the reek of decay smelled only vaguely familiar. Yet he could not put his finger on what it was or remember where he had encountered it before. Either the smell of the goo was sabotaging his olfactory sense, or perhaps this was a form of necromancy not seen in a very long time? A possibility that did not settle well with him. All that he knew for certain is that whenever these pools of goo were present, the hideously mutated corpses of monsters were not far away. That point proven a moment later as he heard the sounds of grunts and lumbering feet giving the approaching.

With an annoyed little sigh he turned away from the dark pool and quickly took off at a sprint. With the ease and precision of an athlete he bound up onto an over turned car and lept up onto the side of a fire escape. Silently he climbed his way up the steel bars to reach the roof just as the first of the monsters charged out of another alleyway. Perching silently on the roofs edge the old Daiyoukai watched as three gruesome corpses lumbered onto the street. Two of which looked like they were once family pets, now transformed into grotesque forms the size of elephants. The other appeared to have once been human, but now it looked like a ten foot tall bloated beast.

The Necrotic creatures stalked around the pool of goo, their heads bobbing as they sniffed the air and drew ever closer to the base of the building. Making it clear that they knew there was life nearby though they could not see their prey. One of the beasts reared up at the corner of the building, it's huge claws gouging the concrete as it stretched its greasy neck to the fullest and bellowed out in frustration and hunger. In a way he could relate to this monster's frustration, for a few miles not these beasts had dogged him. No matter which path he took, through the streets or over the roof tops, he could not escape pursuit. These monsters were simply too numerous in the city, whenever he succeeded in evading one, another would some how manage to discover him.

Of course, there was a very good reason why he was having all this trouble. Turning from the edge of the roof the youkai slipped towards the body of his friend laying on a bed of gravel. Sakagami looked pale and was frightfully cool to the touch. Carefully the youkai ran the back of his hand over the historians forehead, his heart sinking at his friend's condition. The make shift bandage was already soaked through, his blood beginning to pool on the gravel beneath the historian. There wasn't much time left and the youkai had still not seen any sign of a medic or anything else that could help his friend. It left him with no other choice.

With great care he picked his friend up off the ground and settled the unconscious body over his shoulder, the youkai gazing across the rooftop as he made that grim decision. He had to reach the barricade that separated the condemned part of the city from the rest. It was a decision that weighed on him heavily, for he still had a trail of monsters on his heels. Reaching the border guards would ultimately put them in danger of attack. In all truth he wished he could sneak into the check point station and lay his friend out to be discovered. Sadly that was wishful thinking at best and he dismissed the thought as quickly as it came. Wasting not a moment longer he sprung into a sprint that carried him along the roof top swiftly. Using his youki to give him enough thrust to leap across the wide street and hit the next roof top running.

In his wake he could hear the roars of the Necrotic monsters that had spotted him but in turn he paid them no heed. There was simply no time to deal with them, all he could count on was speed. All he could hope for was that his friend could be helped before it was too late. With that single goal in mind he continued at a break neck pace over the roof tops. Unfortunately that was not as fast as he would have hoped. Roof tops it seemed were not as easy to navigate as some would think.

Buildings were not always built to the same height, some were lower and easy to hop down too. Others were much taller and slowed him down even more as he was forced to climb up. Then there was the roofs themselves, some were ill kept and shingles would go flying out from under foot while others were so sharply sloped that the youkai nearly stumbled more than once. If only he could fly, this task would have been much easier. Though sadly it had been hundreds of years since his youki was strong enough to carry him into the skies. An unfortunate side effect of his change. The most his demonic power could accommodate now a days was with giving him a boost or softening his landings.

With one great leap he cleared the distance between two buildings and landed with a bounce on an open awning. Making quick haste as the flimsy thing began to collapse under foot and hissing a curse as his just didn't achieve the height he needed for the next roof top. With a burst of youki he propelled himself the last ten feet before his hand caught the edge of the roof! Dangling there a moment as he gave a soft sigh. A worrying thought already creeping into his mind: How far away was the border?

Sakagami had driven them in, why could he not remember how long they had been traveling once past the border? What a fool he was for not being more observant! Shaking his head at his own foolishness he dug the toe of his boot against the brick wall and pushed himself up. Swinging himself with expert ease right up onto the level roof top…and right into the waiting jaws of a Necrotic monster!

Those huge jaws clamped shut just an inch too short to sink it's green teeth into his flesh but it was enough to catch his clothing. Yanking the youkai off his feet as the monster reared back on it's haunches and thrashed it's head from side to side. It was all he could do to keep a hold of Sakagami, he couldn't dare reach for his weapons lest the historian be torn from his grip. Gritting his teeth the youkai endured the painfully sharp thrashings till at last the beast ran out of steam.

It granted him only a few seconds, even as he dangled there he could feel the monster's body tensing for another go. With reflexive speed he unsheathed one of those wicked blades and slashed through the monsters muzzle in one smooth motion. The monster recoiling back with a painful roar as part of it's face and the youkai fell free. With some effort he landed in a three point crouch on the roof top. His gaze drifting briefly to the uncurious historian perched on his shoulder, relieved to see he was still breathing.

That relief vanished in an instant when he gazed up in time to witness more monsters climbing their way up onto the roof top. For a moment he tried to judge the odds, but by the time he counted to eight he gave up and accepted the fact that he was in considerable trouble. His only hope was to get past them! Since they all seemed intent on climbing up onto the roof, he took off at a sprint and leapt his way off the roof. Narrowly missing the snapping jaws that lunged for him in the process.

Even with his demonic power the landing on the street was rough and he had a stumbling start as he continued his retreat. Behind him he could hear the snarls, roars and pounding paws of the Necrotic beasts that chased after him. If only he was not put at a disadvantage with Sakagami. He could turn and fight these things, though he knew well that the moment he put his friend down he'd fall prey in an instant. Leaving him barely able to fight with one sword arm and the weight of a dying body on his shoulder.

Though it seemed that the fight was something he simply could not avoid as more Necrotic beasts burst from the ruins of a building ahead of him. Cutting off his path as they charged for him at full gate. With a scowling look on his face the youkai returned the charge head on. The wicked blade brought up at the last moment as he changed direction with a dive, moving to the side of one monster. The biting edge of his sword digging through leathery skin and tearing out greasy fur in sticky clumps. Leaving the monster to howl in fury as he slipped just past it's outstretched claws.

He hit the ground skidding as he pivoted his form around in time to see the monsters streaming after him like a stampede of corpses. They were all perfectly bunched together, presenting an opportunity that the youkai sorely needed at the moment! Without a thought he dropped Sakagami down onto the ground before pacing ahead a few measured steps. The blade Seishi at his side held out as his own youki flowed into the covered insignia of the eye embedded on his bracer. The sword responded a second later as a purplish blue radiance enveloped it. He kept his narrowed blue eyes locked on the oncoming monsters, mostly the one at the very head of the pack.

It looked like dog, though it was missing one ear and half of it's tail dangled at an awkward angle. Just like the others it looked bloated and decayed, as if it had been rotting under the sun for weeks. Yet the way it ran reminded him of a pup chasing a ball, perhaps at one point it must have been someone's pet. Loved, cherished and given many such balls to chase while it was alive. As it was now though, it was little more than a mindless killing machine and a moment later it was even less.

Without thought or word he swung that blade and launched a _Kaze no Kizu_. The leading edge of that wave hitting the decomposing monster dog and tearing it to shreds in the blink on an eye. Sweeping away the remains as the wave continued it's destructive course through the remaining pack. Like previously this _Kaze no Kizu _carried a wave of destruction, tearing the roads, the buildings and the monsters between to pieces. Though this wave was different than his normal strikes, the energy glowed a lavender-blue instead of golden. It also had a quirk associated with it, as death swept through the glittering lights of souls were left suspended in it's wake.

It was these glittering points of light that came drifting back towards him. Each more than a simple animal or humans soul lest they not be ensnared by his blades spell. Each carrying the scent of that old magic embedded in the dark goo, leading him to believe that these were the keys to granting the corpses power. As the city block crumbled before him, those souls swept back towards his blade, the weapons aura devouring them instantly. With a soft sigh he lifted the wicked sword and inspected the softly glowing runes that ran above the blood groove.

"Alright, what ever the hell you are friend. I'll ask you once, nicely…put down your weapons."

The last thing he expected to hear at the moment was a human voice. A snarl rose from the youkai as he turned towards the source of the voice. His first thought was how a human managed to make it into the condemned part of the city? Then the real question arose: How did this human manage to sneak up on him? His answer lay in the form of a middle age looking man, clad in form fitting armor with navy blue markings. At first he assumed this man must have been from the military until he noticed two impressive looking Morning Stars gripped in his hands. Each spiked club looking quite heavy, yet the man maneuvered with them effortlessly.

Gripping Seishi tightly he drew the sister blade Kokoro and slowly turned towards the man. No doubt this man had seen his spell in action, the youkai could understand his motive. Though he tried to be diplomatic none the less. "I have no quarrel with you. Let me be on my way."

The man expressed his understanding with an expert swing of those spiked clubs. Pointing one right in his direction as his face remained calm and emotionless. "But we have a quarrel with you Demon. When the Taijiya ask you to drop your weapons, it is wise to do so. I have questions and you look like you have answers. Either drop the weapons and come peacefully, or keep the weapons and come in pieces."

A dark brow arched at the first mention of the Taijiya. Is this what the fabled Demon Hunters looked like now a days? Then the other brow arched to join the first as a threat was rolled his way. Well that was one thing that never changed. Always quick to threaten, never would they trust a demon unless they had full control of it. Unfortunately for this Taijiya, he did not like having anyone controlling him. Shaking his head the youkai held his ground. " I do not have time for this, my friend is ailing."

If he was looking for an understanding response, or maybe a little sympathy for Sakagami, he was going to be disappointed. The Taijya gave another swing of those morning stars before he started at the youkai. "Pieces it is then!"

It was odd to see medieval weapons in a world dominated by guns and the youkai at first thought it was a blessing. Until one of those morning stars hit his crossed swords, the blow so hard that his knees buckled and his balance was thrown. The spikes on the end of the club like weapon grinding against the wicked edge of his black blades. Initiating a contest of strength that he would be forced to back down from as the other morning star came swinging for his gut! The blades abruptly parted with a loud scraping ring as the youkai nimbly spun to the side to avoid the incoming weapon. The Taijiya giving a yell as his momentum carried him off balance a step, but with expert precision he regained his footing and squared off his stance for the next attack.

As the two fighters faced off once more the youkai took a moment to marvel at the fighters strict discipline. The look on the human's face betrayed nothing and the stance that he held those clubs looked almost relaxed, though that was far from the truth. Without a doubt this Taijiya had the skill to pierce the youkai's armor with those spiked clubs and unless he wanted to suffer a bone crushing blow to ribs or head tonight he best not underestimate this human. Blue eyes narrowed on the man as he closed the distance with frightening speed and drove the first blade slashing towards his opponents belly. The Taijiya expertly parrying the blade along with the other that jabbed for his legs with a dual swing of both clubs. The experienced fighter using the momentum of the swing to fallow that with a round house kick that nearly caught the youkai in the head had he not ducked down fast enough.

The fighters separated once again and turned to square off. The youkai flashing his opponent a little smile, if the circumstances were not so dire at the moment he may consider this fun. But as it was, if he kept this up much longer Sakagami would be dead on the asphalt before the fight ever finished. With a yell the Taijiya came at him again though this time the youkai retreated back with a bounding leap. "Perhaps another day we can continue this human, but now I have pressing matters I must attend."

The Tajiya skid on the soles of his boots before he took off running after the retreating demon. A chase that was ultimately cut off as a sweep from those swords unleashed a wave of dirt and debris that swept over and blinded his opponent. Meanwhile the youkai briskly turned and started for his dying friend when a cry sounded to his left.

"Like hell are you going anywhere!"

Far too feminine and deceptively young sounding, the youkai was caught off guard and by sheer luck he turned in time to avoid the elegantly curved blade of a Glaive as it dove for his back. Had he idled a second longer it would have been buried between his shoulder blades. At the end of the pole arm was a very petite young woman, with shoulder length hair colored in a curious way. The youkai caught only a glimpse of her as he maneuvered out of the way of the returning butt end of that weapons pole arm. Landing in a three point crouch a short distance away. His gaze locking on the young woman as she nimbly flicked the glaive to the side and shot him a cold look. By the appearance of her armor he could easily guess she was another Taijiya. Though if she were clad in anything else and not snarling at him, she would easily pass as a sweet young woman.

There was no time for this. As curious as he was about the Taijiya of this day and age, time was not on his side! "Enough of this! That man is going to perish if-" The sounds of boots hitting the ground from behind alerted him to the other oncoming Taijiya and with a beastly sounding snarl the youkai spun around and lashed out with both swords in a scissors motion. Griping the morning stars crown of spikes between the hooked backs of the blades as he flung the Taijyia off his feet and right towards the young woman!

The young Taijiya though used the flexibility and speed of a seasoned gymnast and using her weapon she pole vaulted into the air. Letting the blade of her weapon become snagged by the morning stars. The momentum whipping them both around in mid air and allowing them to land expertly on their feet. The two wasting no time in turning back towards him.

Baring his fangs in sheer annoyance the youkai pitched forward, intent on unleashing a burst of youki to bare down on the two relentless Taijiya, only to suddenly freeze mid step. It started as a feeling in the pit of his stomach, then it rapidly spread through his gut. A chilling feeling that came when something was about to happen. It has been said that animals can sense an impending natural disaster moments before they occurred, youkai were no different. Forgetting his annoyance in that instant he turned on a heel and used his demonic speed to close the distance between himself and his friend. The Taijiya who had also stopped their attack at the demons odd behavior took a defensive position, remaining cautious about the sudden change.

Their answer came as the ground suddenly shifted beneath their feet, then lurched violently. Launching both Taijiya and the youkai into the air as the street buckled and split, a huge crack opening up. Using the abrupt upward momentum the youkai cleared a sudden upheaval of earth and landed unsteadily on the other side. In his time he'd experienced many earth quakes and typically he would take to the air for safety when they occurred. The last place he wanted to be when the earth was shaking was on the ground surrounded by tall things that could fall on him. City buildings were one example that proved all too true as the first began to crumble, hitting the next building to bring it down.

Through the dust and falling debris he reached the unconscious form of his friend. Heaving him up onto a shoulder just as he heard a terribly loud crack sound behind him. The Taijiya were long gone and for good reason, what had started as a single crack in the road turned into multiple. Each one violently releasing an inky black cloud of gas as it raced towards him at an alarming speed. Cursing loudly the youkai sheathed his blades at his belt and immediately took off running, seconds before the cracks reached the area he was just standing in. The roadway collapsing down into the earth in its wake, but the destruction did not stop there.

When adrenaline mixed with fear the results were quite amazing, the youkai couldn't remember the last time he ran this fast. Then again he'd never had to run from something like this! He'd have gone much faster if he didn't have an obstacle course in his wake. He bound off wrecked cars, bound up an over turned truck and ducked past a falling electrical pole. Skipping over the thrashing wires that nearly snagged his ankles. All the while hearing the road splitting destruction mere feet behind him!

If anyone ever wondered what an apocalypse looked like, this might be a pretty close guess. The world was falling down around him, the ground was caving into who knows what. Then there was the dark cloud of gas that smelled of the same decay and ancient magic as the pools of goo. Then a louder sound thundered behind him, a deafening sound that he'd never heard before though he had a good guess what it could be.

A falling skyscraper.

There was no time to look back and confirm it, there was no time for him to think of a plan. Not even enough time to react as a powerful gust of air, dust and broken glass hit him hard from behind. Picking him up off his feet and sending the lighter form of Sakagami flying off his shoulder. He could barely see the last few seconds as the historians body was carried off like a rag doll. Before an avalanche of twisted steel and concrete came down on the demon. Burying him beneath as the earthquake finally finished it's course.

As the dust settled down Sakagami's body came to rest wedged against an over turned car. The human by now was sporting fresh bruises on his already pale skin. He lay there unconscious, unmoving and unresponsive, yet not unnoticed. A pair of dusty pink eyes gazed out curiously from the shadow of an alley way. Studying the limp form a moment before a little smile spread unseen on her face.

Chapter 27…end.


	28. Blood and Concrete

Chapter 28: Blood and Concrete.

Every breath drawn was a painful endeavor, no thanks to whatever it was that was jabbed into his ribs. The rest of him wasn't that much better off, his body twisted into an unnatural position. In the inky darkness he could not see anything, not that he could open his eyes much with all the dirt falling around him anyway. Deep in the back of his mind a little voice screamed with a panicked tone, he was buried alive. But reason bubbled to the surface to calm the turbulence of panic before it could take a firm grip of him. He was alive.

Had the thousands of pounds of concrete fallen in another way however, he'd have been crushed to a bloody pulp. Carefully the youkai tested his appendages one by one, twitching his fingers then rolling his feet. At least he tried anyway, it felt like one leg was trapped firmly in the rubble while the other had maybe a half an inch of wiggle room. More rubble was pressed into his back while a sharp object jabbed his ribs every time he moved. His hands were still quite free though and he slowly moved them. Cringing at the painful pop of cracked slender bones. At least they could move, that was a plus at the moment. Now, how to get out of here?

That was the big question. The tremors for the moment had ceased, yet he knew well they were not finished. An aftershock right now would finish the job unless he managed to work his way out. Very carefully he felt the stone that was around him, discovering a gap that was just big enough for his head and perhaps a little more to fit through. An old saying about dogs coming to mind, if their head could fit through the rest of the body might as well. Drawing a deep breath the youkai let his power flare out in the darkness, his body slowly transforming into his canine form. The shape change was enough to pry his leg free, while his torso managed to pull free of the jabbing thing.

Although his overall size and weight never changed really, the shape of his body did. With the realignment of bones and shifting of muscle he finally had the dexterity needed to maneuver in the cramped space. Pulling his hind legs against him the dog wormed around until he managed to get his paws under him. Once he was in a good position he began to crawl, one paw at a time and moving painfully slow. He reached the gap after a few moments and poked his head through first, golden eyes drawn immediately towards a few rays of light shining from cracks in the concrete.

His nose was also quick to pick up the pungent scent of that goo somewhere nearby. Giving a snuff he continued to crawl through, pushing a paw through the hole while his claws scraped at the concrete. As he struggled and wormed his way through one of the streams of sunlight through the concrete vanished. Blotted out by a dribble of black viscous liquid that ran down the broken concrete and began to drip. Giving a gasp of pain the youkai stopped his struggles for a moment. Catching his breath as he waited for the pain of his tortured ribs to subside he happened to gaze over in time to notice the growing puddle of black goo. A puddle that grew faster as another stream of the stuff began to drip down.

This did not look good, not only was he unsure what would happen if that stuff touched him, he also was in no way interested in finding out! If there was good dripping down it could only mean that there was a pool of it above him and it was draining down. With renewed effort the youkai resumed his struggles, trying to get his large chest through the hole. Or was it his gut? It was a frivolous thing to think about right now. Though it was also one that began to plague his mind.

Did he gain weight? He never remembered seeing any signs of weight gain. Then again he never did look in a mirror and he had spent a while sitting in Tong's magical home. Perhaps he gained a pound or two? Or perhaps he was just in a really tight spot, his weight be damned! A paw finally came through followed by the other, his claws digging into the broken ground as he pulled himself through! If he could wriggle his way to the other side he could dig his way to freedom, though all the while that he struggled the pool of goo grew bigger.

With one last mighty tug he managed to pull his hind quarters through at last, dirt and dust flying as he stumbled in. Realizing at that moment that the space was a lot smaller than it first looked, it was down right cramped! Forced to arch his back and tuck his tail between his legs he eyed that pool distastefully as he found himself to be uncomfortably close to it. By the time he finished worming about his forepaws were practically standing on top of his hind paws. It was not a comfortable position but it was far better than the pinch he had just escaped. Gazing about he tried to find the best place to start digging.

A strong ray of sunlight looked very promising, the chunks of concrete there looked like they would be easy to move and the soil around looked soft. With an awkward shuffle the dog turned on his hind quarters towards that light. His thoughts drifting to Sakagami who he'd last seen somewhere on the surface. The human was hanging on by a thread then and a growing sense of dread began to well in his heart. How long had he been trapped in the rubble? Was the historian also buried beneath the broken concrete? There was simply no feasible way that poor man could have survived. With the blood loss, injuries and new trama, there was no way. He was only human, but the youkai would not lose hope until he saw with his own eyes.

Frantically he pawed at the dirt and rocks, clearing a space for him that was just big enough to position himself beneath the leaning slab of concrete above. The dripping sound of that goo growing louder behind him, driving his pace faster as a growl of frustration rumbled in his chest. In his growing sense of urgency he forwent transforming back and simply wormed his way under the slab. Pushing his shoulders up against the rough concrete. With a snort that raised a cloud of dust he pushed, his claws digging into the soft soil beneath him as he carefully applied all his strength to lifting the lid off this tomb.

Dirt and smaller stones falling all around him as the slab slowly lifted up. Freedom was only a few more inches away, carefully he pivoted his hind legs, meaning to tilt the slab and slide it away enough to open a gap to the surface. The sight of daylight bursting through was a welcomed one and his hopes rose.

*CRACK!*

That did not sound good. He gazed ahead of him with a flat look for a moment. Before slowly allowing his eyes to roam around the little dimly lit space. Not daring to move another inch. The sound was frightfully loud but he could not see it's source yet. Cautiously he shifted his weight and pushed again.

*CR-CRACK!*

This time the sound was followed by a soft hissing that lingered for a minute after it. Followed by that terrible …sinking…feeling. His canine lip curled and in his mind he swore a colorful sentence that would have made a sailor blush. All he could do as the floor beneath his paws gave way! Frantically he reached out and sunk his clawed hand into anything that promised purchase. But all he managed to get was dirt and small stones that were sucked into the growing sink hole along with him!

Drawn through the hole he was instantly surrounded in a cascade of falling dirt and stones. Becoming briefly disorientated but not enough so to miss the sound of that large slab breaking through above him! When he hit the ground it was hard but he scrambled blindly to get moving. With eyes filled with dirt he charged through the mess, tripping and scrambling till he was out of the avalanche! Though the falling slam managed to catch the end of his tail! The youkai giving a loud yelp as he turned around and tried to yank it free. Only to feel a tearing sensation that forced him to stop.

Gritting his fanged teeth he flattened his ears as more dirt and stones came down. Standing on the very edge of a decision to sacrifice his tail for the sake of his life. Thankfully all that came down was a little dirt, as the dust began to settle he shook off his fur and flashed an exhausted look at his partially flattened wagging end. Won't be able to do much wagging anymore now would it? Carefully he tugged at it and again he felt the very uncomfortable sensation of flesh tearing. What would happen if he lost part of it? In his youkai days he'd had the ill luck of losing part of his tail in battle. It had grown back within a couple of days, fur and all.

But he was an inugami right now and this would be the first body part he'd ever lost. So he had no idea what would happen. What if it never grew back? He'd have a half a tail for the rest of his life! Giving a little mushroom sigh he turned back and settled on what he had to do. Crouching his front end down and sticking his rear end in the air. Closing his golden eyes he focused for a moment before…allowing his youki to surround him. Transforming right back into human form where his tail would vanish but not the pain. For a brief moment he breathed a sigh of relief. Fearing that the change back would separate him from the pinned appendage. Thankfully it shrunk with out issue, though he still had a tail bone in this form and right now it was broken. It was still better than no tail.

Without thinking he sat himself back up and flinched! Clapping a hand over his rear as he grit his teeth and vocalized his next string of curses this time! "Shiiimatta! Cracked ribs, broken hand and now a crushed tail. At the rate I am going there will be little of me left before the night!" He growled beneath his breath before he finally calmed down enough to take in his surroundings.

Before him lay train tracks that were twisted and buckled up off the ground, above him electrical lines dangled dangerously low. Behind him was a pile of rubble that effectively closed off the hole above. Digging through that was possible, but time consuming. Not to mention taxing to his sore body as he lifted a hand and flexed his fingers. At least two failed to perform and the crackle of bone that he felt clearly told him why. With a snuff he lowered his hand and gazed down the dark tunnel. Perking a little when something came to his attention.

Making the mistake of sniffing at the still dusty air he gagged and sneezed! Rubbing his nose on the back of his bracer before he tried again more carefully.

Picking out that scent that barely registered in the dirt filled air. A floral scent, slightly sweet yet inviting. A confusing scent as it left him there staring curiously down the tunnel. Where had he taken in such a fragrance before? Had this been another time and place, then he would have gone to investigate. But this was hardly the time to be following his nose with curiosity. However, the direction the scent was coming from also happened to be the easiest path to take at the moment. So why not?

"Only until I find an exit." Muttering to himself the youkai stiffly rose to his feet, determined to only indulge his curiosity so far. His friend was relying on him. At first he stepped awkwardly as his tail bone protested. But he willed the pain to numb as he walked off the damage and picked up his pace to a sprint. Bounding over buckled steel tracks as he warily avoided the power lines. Any question he had over there being anything functioning down here answered as he passed emergency lights that were lit. Casting a yellow light over everything around them.

Aiding his night vision, for even a demon like him could not see in absolute darkness. Not that he always needed to see to know what he was approaching, at the moment the scent in the air shifted. The floral scent vanishing, overpowered by the putrid stink of more black goo. A massive pool of it to be exact, his gaze falling to the floor as he encountered it. His gaze then drifting up he noticed that it stretched for a good hundred and fifty feet or more. Coating the floor thickly while trickles of it crawled up the walls of the tunnel to the ceiling.

This was not an obstacle he wanted to see in his path. To make matters worse, there were electrical lines running over the ceiling. (Of which he suspected to be live considering there was lights lit in the tunnel.) Silently he stood before the large pool and contemplated his situation. In a previous life he would have flown through without an issue, unfortunately that was not an option here. His blue eyes scanned over the wall, then drew to the other side of the tunnel to do the same. His power of flight was reduced severely in this form, but that did not mean he could not use it at all.

Between the slithering tendrils of fluid was dry wall. On each side there was plenty of room between the dark trickles for someone like him to cross. There was indeed a path there for those with the acrobatic skill to utilize it. His eyes bounced back and forth, calculating each jump. Though his eyes always flicked back to the pool of darkness each time. Brows furrowing a little when he spied a few bubbles coming up.

Was it boiling? At first he thought it was his imagination playing tricks on him. The air felt rather cold at the moment, how could it? Shaking his head a little he resumed plotting his course. Yet he could not keep his eyes away from the putrid liquid and the more often he gazed down the more he noticed it bubble. No, it wasn't his imagination. A terrible chill ran through his blood. He suddenly had a gut feeling that something was coming. Seldom was his gut ever wrong, thus he narrowed his eyes on the nearest wall and without hesitation he took off at a sprint.

The dark pool began to bubble considerably as he approached it, two long black tentacles emerging before his eyes. Each lashing out for him like whips, forcing the youkai to leap to the air earlier than intended. Luckily his feet hit a clean part of the wall a few inches from the trailing goo. Before he kicked off the wall and hit the other side. Bounding back and forth in a desperate race to escape, the lashing and whipping of the tentacles forcing him to twist and ball up mid flight to avoid them! Not easy as his pace was lightening fast and there was simply no stopping lest he fall into the pool!

The tentacles though made his efforts harder by the moment. They seemed aggressively intent on trying to spring in front of him every time he vaulted across. Each time they tried to snare him and each time they got a little closer to succeeding. Only through a combination of acrobatic grace and youki did he manage to avoid the slimy things. A quick glance was all he could manage but it was enough for him to see the edge of this vile pool! In three vaults he could reach it, if only he could keep his lead till then.

Four tentacles reared out of the pool, lashing at him from the front and sides. The youkai kicking his feet out in front of him as he used a sudden burst of youki to stop his momentum before he could be caught in their closing grasp! Though his power wasn't enough to hold him in the air for more than a few seconds. Flailing his arms before he fell, he pawed for anything he could take a grip on. One hand closing over what felt like a steel cord. The electrical line.

A gasp caught in his throat as he grit his teeth and squeezed his eyes closed. Awaiting the painful shock he knew was coming. A shock that would probably cook his bones medium rare while turning the rest of him to charcoal…or maybe not? After a second passed without anything happening he opened an eye and looked around in wonder. Was he killed so quickly that he didn't feel a thing? Would those tentacles still be lashing at him if he were dead? Abruptly he swung himself to the side and gripped the line with his other hand. Avoiding one lashing tentacle by a hair!

The electrical line was dead, a welcomed blessing for the youkai who'd been dealing with a lot of bad luck on this mission so far. Turning himself around on the line he began to swing towards the edge of this evil pool. His gaze darting from the waving tentacles, down to where he expected there to be bare floor. His eyes widening when he realized it was not there. Neither was the edge of the pool for that matter. Instead there was even more dark fluid below him, forming more tentacles that rose up in a tangled mess to block his escape.

With an acrobat's grace the youkai crossed the steel cable quickly. Juggling his grip from one hand to the other as he gathered his demonic power into his clawed hand and lashed out. Unleashing blades of youki to cut the tentacles down and buy him enough time to get past them. But the damned things were becoming more numerous and more aggressive the farther he went. He chanced another look up and to his horror he was no closer to the edge of the pool! How big was this!? Would it expand to the point that it flooded the tunnel?

The youkai chanced a look down as more tentacles lashed out into his path, trying to gauge the depth of the pool below him. When he noticed the dark fluid was doing something odd, it was flowing a moment ago but now it suddenly stopped. Much to his surprise and dismay, in actuality it was not growing, it was following him! With a hiss he swung out of the path of another tentacle while quickly picking his feet up out of the reach of a second. Fine then, if there was no way to reach a clear path, then he would make one! Swinging his legs up he draped his knees over the steel cord and hung upside down. Freeing his hands that were quickly drawing his swords. Narrowing his eyes as he held one blade out at the ready to unleash an attack that could carve a path through the goo and the floor!

The blade though never moved, in the corner of his eye he spied bare ground that was not there a moment ago. At first he thought it was his imagination playing a trick, until closer inspection revealed that indeed, there was bare ground. A perfectly round patch of bare ground that was just big enough for a grown man to stand on sat surrounded by the dark pool. As if it was formed on purpose, a quick look over his shoulder confirmed his suspicion. The tentacles were gone but the tunnel was quickly being closed up by a building wall of goo. Leaving one single emergency light to illuminate the gathering mass of darkness.

For some morbid reason, the youkai found himself with a greater sense of curiosity about this sudden turn than wary. Somehow this mass of darkness seemed sentient and intent on containing him. It wanted him to stop and there was only one way to find out why. Releasing the steel cable he executed a half twist mid air before landing lightly on his feet on the bare patch of ground. Standing himself back up straight with his blades held out to his sides at the ready, his eyes locked on the unfolding scene.

Before him the mass began to lose it's smooth surface and dozens of hands on long limbs began to rise. Their talon like fingers grasping at the air and clawing at the walls, several rising right in front of him. Though none reached beyond the edge of the little clearing. At the center of this morbid scene a pillar of dark fluid erupted like a fountain, before smoothing and filling out into the form of a woman.

A petite woman formed entirely of onyx stood as still as a statue among the grasping and stretching hands. Her sightless black eyes catching the youkai's reflection as she turned towards him. Standing at the ready, he clutched the blades in his hands tightly. Waiting for the first sign of an attack. Fully expecting to be facing a barrage of grappling hands at any moment. What he wasn't expecting was a woman's voice whispering softly in his mind.

"_You are the one who has slain my children." _

It sounded like a motherly scolding, her words were soft and her tone gentle. Yet the youkai's body still grew rigid for a moment. Narrowing his eyes on the woman that stood before him as he momentarily remained silent.

"_Tell me Hunter, what have I done to deserve your attention?" _

All around them the collection of hands began to reach for him, their fingers clawing through the air. In response the youkai released his youki around him with a soft burst that kicked up dust from around his feet. The emergency light made a crackling sound as its yellow light began to flicker. Adding to an already nightmarish scene.

"_Answer me! I have always upheld my end of the bargain, yet here stands a Hunter before me! What have I done!? Tell me!" _

Holding his ground the youkai could only take in what he was hearing and react on instinct. This creature, he could only presume was the Dark Queen herself, she knew. More importantly to him though, she was afraid. The crack in her mental voice, the way she faced him, the frenzying reaction of those clawing hands. She was afraid and like the predator that he was, he picked up on it. Like the scent of blood on the wind. With an emotionless look on his face, his youki intensified around him. The emergency lights glow shimmering their dark surfaces of those wicked blades as he slowly raised them. Blue eyes locked on the Dark Queen, before the emergency light went out in a loud bang and a shower of sparks.

A tremor rocked the subway tunnel briefly, sending cracks through the walls and floor while pieces of concrete rained down from the ceiling. A cloud of dust erupted through to choke everything off. Including the youkai that stumbled through it. With his face covered in a handkerchief he staggered and stumbled, behind him a section of tunnel was caved in and reduced to a pile of rubble. That damned Queen! The moment he made his move, the wench brought the ceiling down over his head!

As the dust began to settle he gazed back the way he came, not seeing even a drop of that putrid smelling goo anywhere. Meaning she fled. "Damned Witch." He grumbled sourly as he continued once more along the tunnel. Brushing off the dust that turned his dark outfit light grey. She was afraid of him, No…actually. She was afraid of his master and seemed to be unaware of their current state. She knew exactly what he was and was fully aware of the rules of the game, though he'd love to know how. None the less, this could be an advantage for him, perhaps the fates were not completely against him after all?

An answer came to him in the form of a bright light that shown over what looked like an iron barred gate. Hung around it were warning signs meant to ward the public away from the tracks. Beyond it was a train station. A look of relief was etched on his face as he picked up his pace. The station looked like it did not handle the earthquake well, parts of the ceiling had come down over the platform. Small shops and the information booth lay in ruins, but the stairs that lead up to the surface offered hope of escape. Breaking open the barring door he climbed up.

That scent from earlier returned once more, stronger than before and this time, closer than he would like. Its sweetness not failing in piquing his curiosity all over again as he picked his way around the debris that covered the destroyed subway platform. One more he combed his memory, reaching for the source. Why did this smell so familiar to him, where had he caught such a smell like this before? As he passed the ruins of what was a information booth a picture of a woman in a bright kimono seemed to stand out from the dust and destruction. His gaze lingered on that picture as he stopped beside it, surprised to see how well the kimono endured even in these times of skirts and dresses.

At that moment something in his head clicked. The scent that was still present in the air changed for his nose as the realization hit him. Shame and embarrassment briefly burned on his cheeks as he lifted his head, those blue eyes narrowing at the darkness around him. How foolish could he be? It took him so long to notice something like this? Perhaps his nose had grown weak over the years. Drawing a deep breath he gave the flush that came over his face time to fade away before he turned around to face the darkness. A growl starting somewhere in his chest and rising through his throat as he called out.

"Show yourself."

Those words echoed through the empty sub station, followed by a silence so thick he could have possibly cut it with one of his blades. As the minutes ticked by his patience began to grow thin, a fact that echoed in his renewed growl.

" I do not mean any harm to you."

The voice that answered was musical and sweet yet it echoed the slightest hint of fear, out of the darkness the form of a woman emerged. Her steps slow and cautious as she approached the angered demon. Dressed in a dove grey and black jump suit and sporting a series of small daggers holstered on her belt she could have almost been mistaken for a Taijiya, had her rose pink hair not been pulled up into an intricate bun to show her pointed ears. Her eyes shone a lighter shade of pink that complimented her porcelain complexion.

This was neither the time nor the place, but the youkai had to admit, she was quite a beauty as far as youkai went. So much that he had to bite his own tongue before the words of compliment could roll off it. This female demon had been stalking him for some time now and that fact made him a little uneasy. Holding his ground he kept his narrowed eyes locked on her, his growl softening. "Greetings M'lady, who might you be and why are you following me?"

Something changed in the woman then, her confidence seemed to return to her some what as her tentative steps were replaced by a smoother stride. The blush faded from her face as her lips drew into an inviting smile. " Forgive me My Lord, but these are dark times in this city. Is it such a crime for one Inu youkai to follow another?"

The darkening look on his face was enough to stop her in her tracks. Her confidence shaken once again. " Please M'lord calm yourself, as you stand right now it is impossible to tell but I did happen to catch sight of you during a transformation." A quick glance told her though that the youkai was still not happy with her, his stance remained unchanged and his glare was stern yet patient. There was something in the demon's overall posture and demeanor was wasn't so much as threatening as it was authoritative.

Biting her lower lip she dropped to her knees and placed her hands daintily on the dusty ground. Giving a proper bow to the youkai as she finally answered. "My Name is Ryosei, I have been following you out of curiosity since I first saw you battling the Taijiya."

That answer caused his demeanor to soften a little though his kept his eyes on her bowed head as he contemplated this new little twist. This demoness had followed him from the surface and seen him for the demon that he was. Yet she trailed after him knowing well the danger. Dog demons were not very friendly to each other generally. They formed relationships with mates and family, but strangers were never trusted and sometimes were driven off on sight. He understood why she stayed away even if he didn't like the fact that she snuck around behind him all this time.

"You saw me while I was on the surface, did you see that I had a human with me? What befell him if I may ask M'lady?" Sakagami was still on his mind, though he'd given up thinking some time ago that his friend had survived. He still harbored the hope that he did not become one of those monsters.

"He is in the care of the Taijiya, I was the one to lead them to your friend." Ryosei's answered without ever raising from her bow.

Sakagami may still be alive, with his hope renewed for his friend he gave a soft sigh. "My apologies M'lady for being so harsh. You have brought me the first good news that I have heard since arriving in this city. You have my thanks."

Ryosei secretly smiled as she straightened herself up, a look of relief on her face as she gazed over to the youkai. Only to see his back as he was walking away. "He-hey! Hang on a moment! That's it? Just a thank you?"

The sound of her feet pounding on the subway platform told him all he needed to know. Rolling his eyes the youkai stopped and turned back around in time to face Ryosei as she stomped up. "If you are seeking a reward, I am sorry to say I carry nothing of value on my person. "

Canting her head up she flashed him a glare as she propped her hands on her hips. "Do I look like someone who asks for hand outs? No! I answered your question and you go off without giving me a chance to ask mine! ...and what kind of man are you to walk away and leave a young woman alone!? In a monster infested city no less!"

A sweat drop rolled down his face as he stared at this 'woman', yes she was a lone female but she was an inu youkai. Somehow he doubted she needed any type of escort! However...she had a point. She had gone and retrieved aid for his friend. Not at least offering to have her accompany him was not very gentlemanly. A clawed hand came up to rub his face a moment as he thought, before he blew out a sigh between his clenched teeth. There was no way around this, he didn't have much left but at least he had his honor and he wanted to keep that intact.

"Very well M'lady, it would be my pleasure if you accompanied me." His tone was about as flat as his look at the moment though he forced the words out. Quickly raising a pointing hand to stop Ryosei as she opened her mouth to reply. "However! The path I walk is very dangerous, as soon as I find a safe place for you we must part ways."

Ryosei bristled at that and for a moment she looked ready to contest that. But she visibly calmed a second later and nodded. "Fine by me."

Chapter 28 - End.


	29. Dark City

Chapter 29 - Dark City

An ambulance came around the corner, kicking up a cloud of dust as it's tires screeched on the pavement. Its siren wailing its distress call even though it was the only vehicle on the road in this part of the city. The Hospital was right next to the condemned part of Tokyo, but it was too vital to shut down. As the ambulance turned in it was immediately faced with stiff competition for one of the hospitals drive up emergency bays. Other Ambulances were crowded around, all idling as EMTs rushed about to unload them. Inside the building the chaos was no different. Understandably the hospital was busy after a major quake. With people packed into waiting rooms and stretchers lining both sides of the hall ways.

Riku had to weave her way through the packed hall ways, dodging frantic nurses and frightened relatives of the numerous patients there. Pulling her trench coat around her petite form she kept her eyes ahead as she skirted passed a bloodied man being rushed through in a wheel chair by medical staff. A few moments later she had to stop herself from overhearing a terrified woman talking of monsters devouring her husband. When she laid her eyes on the hospital doors it took all of her discipline to stop herself from rushing through them like a bat out of hell! Narrowing her eyes she counted her steps to keep herself calm, when the automatic doors finally swung open she finally released the breath she had unknowingly been holding.

Stepping outside she took a moment to breathe in the cold night air. Closing her eyes as she slowly released all her tension in one controlled breath. Before reaching into her pocket and digging about. Plucking out a cell phone as she continued to walk away from the hospital, finding some much needed quiet and privacy behind the corner of the building. Raising the little device to one ear while her finger plugged the other one. Quietly waiting for someone to pick up on the other line.

A small old looking cell phone lit up a second before it began ringing. It's little jingle paired with a vibration that sent it dancing over the polished desktop that it was sitting on. A hand darting out to catch it before it had a chance to take a swan dive onto the floor again! Sentei whispered a curse under his breath as he hit a button to stop the phones shaking before lifting it to an ear. "Moshi Moshi…"

"Moshi Moshi! Hey Boss it's me, I just got out of the hospital."

Riku's voice had a tired tone to it that made the Taijiya leader feel a little guilty. But he kept that to himself. Instead he absently smoothed his mustache as he commented. "Glad you made it, how is Sakagami doing?"

Riku gave a little but very audible sigh. "Well he is alive, but the doctor had to take him to surgery right away to close his wounds. He came around in his room for a little while but was barely awake and couldn't answer any of the questions I asked. However he did say something kinda interesting; he said the word 'Furui' several times. As if he were calling to someone. But that's it sadly. Sorry boss. "

The Taijiya leader's brows furrowed a little at the word. Furui, in other words 'Ancient one'. Rubbing his mustache down in a thoughtful manner Sentei pondered over the implications of that name. With a bad feeling welling in his gut he turned his attention back to the phone. "Well then there is nothing more you can do there until he wakes up. Why not head back here for a little rest before we change shifts."

"Sure thing boss!" The sound of relief in her tone was undeniable and brought a little smile to Sentei's face. "Oh! By the way boss? You know if you keep doing that you're whiskers are going to fall out right?"

That smile cracked a little as his brow twitched, one finger still hovering over his mustache. With out another word he hit a button and disconnected the call! Flashing the device an irritable look before tossing it back down on the desk. The older Taijiya took a moment to reflect on his situation before he sunk his face into his hands. An ancient, what in all the hells did Sakagami bring back with him? Spreading his fingers just enough to peek through them he gazed around his office. Tucked into a small room the office was file cabinets and shelves that lined the walls. Here and there were artifacts related to many of the mysterious creatures the Demon Hunters dealt with. Most of which were buried among mountains of paper work.

Lately he had been digging through all of the Taijiya's records looking for anything that matched the creature he had faced hours ago. A slow and frustrating process, not to mention dangerous for the more fragile documents that have been in the organizations possession for hundreds of years. Lowering both his hands onto the desk he gave a mighty push that sent his office chair rolling on it's wheels. The momentum carrying him into the door way where he slowed down and cried out. "Chousan! Have you found anything yet?"

Across the Taijiya leaders office something clattered loudly before an answer echoed back. " Leeeet me check ONEMORETIME!"

The tone was dripping in sarcasm in such a way that Sentei had to pinch the bridge of his nose to stop himself from scolding right back. Reluctantly rising from his chair the Taijiya made his way across the hall and into the door way of the Demon Hunters command center. A room filled with monitors and televisions lining the walls, displaying everything from maps to street cameras. At its heart was a large console that was little more than a collection of keyboards carefully arranged on a desk along with one large monitor.

Behind this desk sat the half slouched form of a young man, he was quite thin for his height and dressed in a teenagers outfit of jeans and layered shirts. His hair was a tousled mess that hung over his ears and his glasses that shone lightly as he gazed over to Sentai. Chousan's face a mask of boredom as he regarded his leader. " Oh look…I found nothing..for the hundredth time."

Sentei calmly clasped his hands behind his back and returned his wards look with a patient one of his own. "You've found nothing matching the description I gave you?"

Calmly the young man pushed his glasses back onto the bridge of his nose as he straightened himself in his seat. "A guy with long black hair and blue eyes, looks around seven feet tall and is perhaps in his early to mid thirties. Unfortunately Boss that description matches thousands of men in this city. I did run a scan for the swords and powers that you explained and I haven't had a hit on those. Whatever this guy is, there isn't any documentation on him." Chousan added with a shake of his head and a shrug.

"Sakagami woke for a little while according to Riku, but all he kept saying was 'Ancient one…Ancient one…' Riku thinks he was calling for that demon." Sentei subconsciously began to smooth his mustache in thought as he leaned on the door frame.

Chousan smirked a little and began to 'smooth' his upper lip in the same manner. "Sakagami went to China didn't he? Course he was secretive about that, we needed to pull his passport record to find out. " He flashed Sentei a smile and rubbed his chin when the leader looked his way. Only to resume mimicking him when the old man looked away again.

"We've known him for a long time and he's never hidden anything from us. Now he goes off promising that he will find help, only to send word that he was unsuccessful. Yet he brings _something _back with him and we have no idea what!" Sentei lamented as he began to pace around the parameter of the room, his gaze wandering over the many camera views from different parts of the city.

"If he is talking about an ancient then it's an undocumented one. I could go into the vault and search the treasure archives for an ancient demon that matches that description. I could also check our copy of the Chinese book of demons the 'Shan Hai Jing' and see if something like him is listed. " Chousan stopped there when he noticed that his boss was not listening, instead his eyes were drawn to the monitors on the walls. One by one each was showing a sudden wave of humanity spilling into the streets.

Reaching over to a keyboard to the far left, Chousan quickly tapped away at the keys, the monitor before him flickering to a camera view of the check point into the No-Mans-Land part of the city. His eyes widening behind his glasses.

The train station entrance stood in pieces above ground, it's roof partially caved in and the sign above it dangling by a corner. All around it yellow ribbons of caution tape fluttered in the breeze, a mute warning against anyone entering. However that didn't stop a couple of people from leaving. A large chunk of concrete shifted, sliding out and to the side to prop up the toppled in roof. A few moments of scuffling followed before the half crushed door was kicked the rest of the way off it's with a protesting screech of metal. Slowly a head poked out from under the overhanging debris, pink eyes gazing around a moment to gauge the area before disappearing back under. "Looks clear."

The roof slowly began to rise above her, sending dirt and small bits of concrete raining down as it lifted. Relieving the youkai beneath pushing the whole mess up and holding it there as Ryosei slipped past him, flashing him a little wink. It took great effort to not roll his eyes at the little gesture. If only because he'd been doing it so much in the short time he'd been with her that he feared his eyeballs would fall out. In the time it took for them to travel through the underground station to the surface the demon had found himself the unwilling recipient of more female attention than he'd ever received in the last two hundred years. Ryosei was an inquisitive demoness who apparently had not conversed with another of her kind in a long time.

She bombarded him with questions almost from the very moment he agreed to escort her. At first they were innocent questions meant to break the ice between them, giving both an opportunity to learn a little of each other. In all truth he found some amusement in her inquisitiveness. At least until the questions became more personal and sometimes bordering on flirtatious! From what kinds of wine he enjoyed to what he liked to do on a Saturday night. None of which he felt was really appropriate at the moment considering their situation, or really any time.

He'd been around females enough to know where this was going and he was simply not interested. Thus he skirted questions and changed subjects in an effort to de-rail her plans, but she was very perceptive and insistent. Causing him to work a little harder at finding that damned subway exit! It was obvious that it may have been a little too long since Ryosei had seen a male of her kind. In a way he could understand why she was so excited. The only other male dog demon he knew of in Tokyo was his eldest son and Sesshoumaru was by no means a conversationalist last he knew. At that moment she was successfully witling down his patience. The fact that he could feel her eyes constantly going over him was also becoming a little tiring.

More than once he contemplated turning around and ordering her to hold that tongue, even considered abandoning her around the debris. That would be quite cold and cruel though and he was a gentleman after all, so he took the discomfort in stride as best he could. Silently reminding himself that she did save Sakagami back on the surface. Ultimately freeing the Daiyoukai up to work on the issue at hand and for that he was grateful enough to put up with her prying. Patience was a virtue though and more than once his lip twitched a little as he bit back a rude response that threatened to roll off his tongue. When they finally found the exit from the subway, he felt it was a gods send!

Carefully he picked his way through the rubble while balancing the broken roof above his head, until he was finally able to slip out safely with a little exhale of relief. At long last they were out from the underground, brushing off his hands he realized it had become very quiet and gazed over to Ryosei. Instantly noticing the paled look of shock on her face as she stared up. His gaze quickly following hers, his blood running cold at what he saw.

This part of the city was particularly hard hit by the quake, leaving the area looking like a post apocalyptic scene. But it was what they saw at that scene...or should he say, crawling over that scene, that worried him. Black Goo had over run the city. Entire buildings were swallowed up, it flowed through streets like putrid rivers and all around it were necromatic monsters. All shapes and sizes of them roamed the streets in packs and crawled over the broken buildings searching for warm blood. For the first time he witnessed new additions to this gruesome army as bird like monsters soared through the skies above on huge black wings. Their heads dangling down like a vultures as they searched for prey.

Knowing that they were exposed where they stood he grabbed Ryosei by the arm and quickly ushered them towards a nearby alley. "The Dark Queen has launched the first large scale attack."

Ryosei recovered from her initial shock and hardened her expression as she peered back out of the alley way. "I wonder how much of the city she has overtaken already like this? How are we going to fight all those monsters?"

"Ideally I would rather not, it's a useless endeavor." The fear that this poisonous liquid had reached beyond the condemned part of the city gnawed at him. If these Necromatic monsters attacked the population outside, the blood shed would be terrible and the added numbers to the Dark Queens force frightening! Pausing at the other end of the alley, he looked about to see if the coast was clear. "We must reach the source of this dark magic, the Dark Queen herself. That is the only way to stop this hell from spreading through the rest of the city."

"Reaching the Dark Queen is not going to be easy you know." Ryosei whispered softly as she slipped around the youkai and gazed out of the alleyway. "She surrounds herself in darkness and monsters according to the Taijiya." She paused a moment as she caught his skeptical look from the corner of her eye. Casting him a side long glance she added quickly. "From what intel I have stolen from the Taijiya."

That sounded about right, granted it was well known that the Demon Hunters did work with demons, he somehow had the feeling that this talkative pink haired demoness was not one of them. Their eyes briefly met as he suppressed the urge to smile. "I am quite aware, she introduced herself a short while ago as I am sure you have seen."

With cheeks burning a little she turned away from him, making a little snorting sound. "I actually didn't see that part, the black oil was coating everything so I could not come close enough." Folding her arms over her chest she turned back to him, her dusty pink eyes flashed him a look through her darker pink colored bangs. "I honestly thought you were devoured . I was somewhat curious to see what kind of monster you'd have become."

Much to her dismay though he wasn't even paying attention to her at the moment, his gaze was locked on a group of monstrous birds as they flew over head. Seeing a path opening for them he motioned her to follow as he slipped out of the alley way. Her expression soured, she did follow closely behind him remaining silent as she took in the destruction around them. In the distance a car was violently flipped as a the massive rotted form that looked like a cat pounced on top of it. It's claws shredding the flimsy metal before plunging it's snapping jaws into the wreckage. A moment later terrified screams rose from the car as the beast pulled the helpless human out. Ryosei watched in morbid fascination as the monster thrashed it's head from side to side. Silencing the screams, before discarding the crumpled body onto the ground where it was quickly claimed by the black goo.

"That shall be the fate of every living thing in this city if we do not find the Queen and end her spell." The youkai mused as he hovered over Ryosei's shoulder to watch the scene. The Demoness nearly jumping out of her skin when her focus was interrupted.

"Shukun-chan you're as silent as a wraith! Don't do that!" She hissed between deep breaths, needing a moment to regain her composure. Eying him curiously. "So you know what she is using to create these things?"

"Tis Necromancy." His eyes locked on the goo as it began to boil around the corpse, "This type is an ancient one beyond even my knowledge," the humans flesh began to darken to a sickly color before beginning to swell, "I've never seen anything like it and unfortunately I know not of any way to reverse it."

"Well we're no good out here then, lets get out of here and form a plan." Grabbing his sleeve she tugged at him, tearing him away from the wicked scene. Her eyes roaming the sides of the road as they walked out in the open, much to her companion's growing anxiousness. They were exposed out here and easy prey for the vultures above to swoop down on. He was about to open his mouth and protest when Ryosei abruptly picked up a large rock, tossing it up once to test it's weight. Without another word she walked up to a small white car packed on the side of the roar and used it to smash the window. Reaching in to pop open the door. "Get in!"

The barked order irked him a little almost as much as the idea of vandalizing the vehicle, though he pushed that aside as another question came to mind. "I am not to familiar with these things, however I though you needed a key to start a car up?"

Completely ignoring him for the moment Ryosei hopped into the drivers seat and unlocked the passengers doors with a single button. Reaching over she tore the cover out from behind the steering wheel and worked quickly. Yanking out the ignition switch and prying a wire free, tapping two of them lightly together with a spark. The engine roaring to life as she rolled her eyes and canted her head over to the youkai. Flashing him a crooked little smile. "Not always."

Had this been another time he would have been perhaps a little impressed, though he would have still shaken his head at her, maybe even scolded her. They were stealing after all, but at the moment they had little choice as one of those monsters had spotted them already. It's roar echoing up the street as it came charging for them. He quickly vaulted over the hood of the car as Ryosei slammed her door shut. The youkai barely half way in the passengers seat when she sped away from the curb with tires squealing! His swords got in the way, the seat itself was too far forward, honestly the car itself was a bit too small for his large frame. But somehow he squirmed into place and managed to shut the door just as the car began swerving.

"Hang on there, this ride is going to be rough!" Ryosei cried with a smile that unnerved him a bit. Clutching the only hand hold on his side he watched with widened eyes as the car sped around rubble and dodged pools of bubbling goo. The view behind them was no better, with more monsters joining in on the chase. Including one of the vultures that came swooping down for them. It's large talons missing the little car by a few inches as Ryosei jerked the wheel hard to the left, sending the little car skidding into an alley way where it was impossible for the bird to reach them. Although it unseated the poor youkai and sent him slamming into the dash of the car with that maneuver.

Hissing a curse under his breath he pushed himself back into his seat and dared a look ahead, to his horror there a huge pool of black goo waiting for them. That horror turned into a sinking feeling as he gazed over to the driver. The determined look on the female demon's face told him exactly what she was about to do. Bracing a hand against the dash he grit his teeth and watched anxiously as the car flew out of the alley and hit the pool. It may have well been an oil slick as the car immediately began sliding wildly, its tires finding no grip!

Ryosei tried desperately to keep the it under control but in the end was unable to stop the car from spinning out violently before it slammed up against a wall, reducing the trunk to a twisted accordion shape. Leaving the two occupants within dazed for a moment. The youkai shook his head to rid him of the stars dancing before his eyes as he quickly turned to his companion. Reaching out a hand to touch her shoulder as he looked over her worriedly. Ryosei's head was bent over the steering wheel where she made a frustrated sound. Much to his relief she began to move and beyond a cut to her forehead he could see no other injury.

The car though seemed to be dead, it's engine having gone silent. Recovering enough from the crash, Ryosei reached down to the ignition wires once more. A frown growing on her face as the starter gave a sickly sounding whine as it failed to start the engine. Leaving her to fight with the car the old youkai carefully knocked out what little remained of his broken window and looked out over the river of black goo they were currently stranded in. Worriedly he gazed at the bottom of the door, the mental image of that evil fluid seeping through a frightening one. Thankfully the inside was still quite goo-free. Then he looked outside of the door.

The thick and viscous liquid seemed to be flowing towards them, building up around them at an alarming rate. Black tendrils slowly creeping up the sides of the car much in the same way as he'd witnessed in the tunnels. Keeping his tone even he cautiously advised Ryosei who was still fighting with the ignition. "If we do not move out of here quickly, we'll be engulfed."

"WHAT? You're kidding right?!" Jerking her head up she stared at the older youkai before quickly sticking her head out the window. "You're not kidding." Holding back a curse she quickly returned her attention to the wires. Hands shaking as she touched them together. The starter giving another pathetic sounding whine.

"Be calm, if you panic you will lessen our chances of escape." Looking down though as the goo crept farther up the door he found himself beginning to panic as well.

"Hard to be calm when you're going to be eaten alive!" She hissed and tapped the wires together again.

"I believe we would be rotted to death?" The goo was half way up the door and had just started creeping up over the hood.

"Even better! We'll become Demon Zombies! Is that even possible?" Gritting her teeth she slammed her fist into the dash in frustration. "Start damn you!"

"I've never seen such a thing, so I cannot say." It was not something he was interested in finding out either. Though they may have no choice here as the goo was nearly to the top of the door. Sticking his own head out of the window he looked up at the building as a possible way out. Only to see more goo crawling up the wall as well.

Ryosei drew a deep breath and paused for a moment, closing her eyes as she whispered softly. "We are stuck in a carnivorous swimming pool. This is not the way I envisioned myself going. In fact, I'm not ready to go. Damn this stupid queen to hell but she is NOT taking me today! SO START YOU PIECE OF JUNK!" Her zen like calm was shattered with a scream as she lurched forward and grabbed those wires! Touching them together as the starter began to whine once more.

The sudden shriek made him briefly consider that she'd lost her mind, a sweat drop rolling down his brow as he stared at her sudden ferocity. That seemed to work as the engine suddenly sputtered to life! Much to his relief and her sudden cry of joy! As short lived as it was, he looked passed her as he noticed the first tendril of goo creeping over the door. "We must move now!"

Recovering from the moment she gripped the wheel and hit the gas, sending the car fish tailing as it tore its way through the of the puddle of goo. The remaining liquid draining away the moment the car hit the pavement and sped away. It needed to build up to cover something, a small curiosity for the youkai as he turned in his seat to look out the broken rear window. The dark pool retaining the shape of the car for only a moment before sinking back down. Very curious. The little car darted through another alley way when the shadow of another Necromatic bird was cast over them. The look of determination still locked on Ryosei's face as they emerged once more onto the main road. It was a hair raising cat and mouse chase and one he'd love to see ended soon.

Unfortunately his wish came true a few minutes later as Ryosei drove around a corner only to hit the breaks hard. Right up ahead of them were several of the grotesque monsters. More than he cared to take the time to count, all stalking towards them with maws open. Roaring in their hunger for warm flesh and the anticipation of pouncing on cornered prey. Slowly his blue eyes rolled to the female, her hands gripping the steering wheel tightly as her face twisted into a look of fear. She was terrified, that much he could tell and unless they did something quickly they would be killed here.

Without a word he opened the car door and immediately climbed onto the roof, Ryosei giving a little gasping start as she watched him. "Wait! What the hell are you doing!?"

"You must drive, I will cut the path for us!" Shutting the door he positioned himself in a three point crouch.

"You're going to fight them from up there on a moving car." She had to stop herself from gaping. "Did the smell of that goo effect your head?"

A little smile drew over his face as his eyes locked on the monsters ahead with such intensity that he nearly jumped as a clawed hand burst through the top of the car right beside his knee. A second later the end of a seat belt was threaded through.

"Here! Take this and tie yourself in!" Feeding the rest of the seat belt through she gave the other end a hard tug to make sure it was secure before she turned to grip the steering wheel and rev the engine.

Staring at the belt he opened his mouth to protest needing it, but there was simply no time to argue. Taking the seat belt and tying it to his own belt he grumbled to himself over how it severely limited his movement. That gripe was instantly forgotten the moment the car took off again with such a momentum that the only thing stopping him from being left behind was the seat belt! Well, this wasn't how these things were designed to be used but none the less it worked! That smile returned once more, bigger than before as he drew both his blades and prepared for the onslaught.

The was still a bit of a challenge with keeping his balance on the small cars roof and he needed a few moments to spread his feet out enough to keep him stable. He was thankful for Ryosei's quick thinking on using the seat belt as a life line. Far more grateful when a sudden swerve nearly sent him tumbling over! Crouching low he held the twin blades out and ready, blue eyes narrowing on the incoming mob of monsters.

Inside the vehicle Ryosei began to break out in a cold sweat, her eyes glued on the monsters legs. Seeing no way to go around them, it left her with no choice but to navigate through them! The little cars engine roared as she floored the gas, plunging them right into the thick of the mess. Swerving to the left as a huge clawed hand came for them, hitting the breaks and skidding just past a hind leg. In the blink of an eye they vanished in a flash of bright light, bright enough to force her to squint hers. Only to give a scream as severed limbs rained down over the hood and splattered gore over wind shield! Hurriedly switching on the wipers she gave another startled cry as she jerked the wheel to the left, barely missing an overturned car in the road.

All around her the monsters snarls of hunger turned to shrieks of pain, a chance look in the side mirror showed a monster that was gaining ground on them. It's maw opening wide to show off rows of rotted but still hellishly sharp teeth, filling the mirror and the female demons heart with terror! Before a bright light returned and split down the center of the gaping maw, unleashing a wild splatter of black blood as the beast stumbled and fell away.

Releasing the breath she was subconsciously holding, Ryosei looked right back to the road ahead. Seeing with relief the check point station on the boarder of no-mans land. The same check point station that was surrounded in a sea of black goo! The result was a string of curses that made even the Daiyoukai look down at his companion's very unladylike behavior. Until he too noticed what they were up against and found himself biting back the same curses! The pool looked deep and he feared that the little car was not going to make it. Looking over the side of the roof he called out to the driver. "Do you think we'll make it?"

"I'm kind of afraid to drive through that, it could swallow the whole car up!" She frowned as the car slowed to a stop, taking a moment to stick her head out of the window. "We'll have to fly out of here the rest of the way."

"Not an option for me unfortunately. You should take that route and save yourself I will find another way around." A life time ago he could cast his youki out and float through the air, but now his demonic power was so weak that he could barely lift himself an inch off the ground.

"What do you mean 'not an option', are you afraid of heights?" She shot back without thinking, watching him sheath his blades.

"I cannot fly woman! If I could fly do you think I would have when we were stuck back there?" It was an irritable snap, he knew it was rude but he was a few seconds too late to have stopped it. With a sigh he began to untie himself. "My apologies, but there is little choice."

"Well then you're just going to have to catch a ride." Ryosei said with a sour grump before her annoyed look was replaced by a smirk. Seconds before her own demonic power flared in a pink light.

At first he thought she was going to take off with the car and on reflex grabbed the seat belt! Then he sensed the sudden wave of youki and saw the glow of pink light steaming from the drivers door. Realizing that moment what she was about to do. Quickly he stood himself up on the roof of the car and whirled around to bring himself face to snout with the Inu youkai.

In her true form Ryosei was actually quite small for one of her kind. From his vantage point the guessed she was maybe fourteen feet high at the shoulder. Her coat was a dusty pink color and very thin, accenting her elegant form. Every bit of her was long and elegant from her slender legs to her neck. A little fur feathered above her paws and along her curled tail. Her face was perfectly proportioned to her body, with a graceful look to her muzzle and her long thin ears. The first thing that came to his mind was 'speed', she was built like a greyhound and looked capable of leaving anyone foolish enough to try and chase her in the dust.

It was a beauty that caught him off guard for a few seconds, she also seemed familiar to him, though quickly he regained himself and cast a glare at those large red eyes. "I know what you are thinking and I will not have it. Leave me with my dignity intact here Ryosei! Now go on and escape this I will find a way across myself." A clawed finger pointed towards the check point as he narrowed his eyes on the demoness.

The large dog snuffed a little and flattened her ears back, flashing him a pout full look. Slowly she turned and began towards the city much to his relief. Taking a moment to rub his face he breathed a soft sigh, only to feel jaws clasping at the back of his armor gently before yanking him up and off his feet! Gritting his teeth he was unable to stop the snarl that rose from his throat! This damned woman! It wasn't unusual that other dog demons disobeyed him but she found the most embarrassing ways to do it! Had this been another life time he'd have transformed and scolded her! Then again had be been able to transform to his full glory…he'd not be dangling like a puppy from her jaws right now.

Lucky for him dogs couldn't laugh or else she'd betray her amusement at his predicament. It couldn't stop the doggy smile though as she took off at a quick sprint before bounding into the air. Demonic power gathering around in soft clouds to carry her up into the skies. Taking them both over the check point and into the city. Where all the humor and indignity was forgotten within a few minutes. Down below them was a full scale invasion, more of that black goo was flowing through the streets like a river. Around it were scores of dark shapes, more monsters, making their way through the cities. Yet eerily it seemed like Tokyo was empty, as if the people were gone.

"Evacuated, they must have all been evacuated." How sad how he'd quickly forgotten that others were also keeping an eye on this disaster. Someone must have signaled the humans to flee the city. But what of the ones who could not? Looking up from where he danged the youkai called out. "You must find my friend Sakagami! He is too injured to escape and will need help!"

The demonesses head bobbed a little as a growl rumbled from her throat. Causing the youkai to flash her a look even though he was aware she could not see it. "I must stay and try to figure a way to slow the invasion down. Put me down someplace clear and find my friend, Please!"

Now she shook her head which also managed to swing the poor youkai around in her jaws. Cringing a little as he heard fabric tearing he grit his teeth and shot back. "I do not have time for this woman! Put me down this instant! Please find my friend and make sure he is brought to safety! Even the Taijiya's care wont be enough against this!"

Something akin to a sigh escaped the large dog above him and without any warning she dove down from the sky. Forcing him to shield his face against the whipping winds with raised arms. Until at last she came down to earth, landing lightly on her small paws as her demonic power trailed from her elegant form. With a bowed head she deposited the Daiyoukai roughly onto the ground before her. Flashing him an unhappy look with her narrowed crimson eyes.

An undignified way to end an undignified experience, he landed on his rear when she finally released him. Which did his already broken tailbone no favors, gritting his teeth he let his eyes roll to the female dog demon. "Don't look at me like that, it is better this way. I have faced these monsters before but I cannot face them and find my friend at the same time. I ask you this favor m'lady, please tend to him and I will owe you a favor in return. Fair enough?"

There was something in the way her expression changed that unnerved him a little. Something in the way she canted her head and managed to flash him a crooked smile that left him feeling like he'd just made a big mistake. Although it was too late to take it back, not that she gave him the opportunity to do so as she turned from him and gracefully trotted away. The youkai turning his back to her as she sprung to the air to fly off. Now was not the time to dwell on that, before him was a large score of necrotic monsters of every shape and size.

Only one against an army. Not unlike old times even when he commanded youkai into the fight. Demons were chaotic creatures that were difficult to organize, yet not impossible. As long as you understood the Youkai you were dealing with. Usually they were his scouts, his eyes and ears that were everywhere. Teeth and fangs that would take on lesser targets, small opponents. The ones who were wise enough to stay in his good graces gave him support in heat of battle. But he was the one who always stood on the front lines. One against an army.

The old memories brought a little smile to his face as he walked towards the Dark City flooded with monsters like the stuff of nightmares. Just like the olden days, however he was truly alone here, there would be no other support. A smile spread over his face as he drew his blades from his belt, holding Seishi out to point at the incoming mass of monsters. All snarling for his blood and hungering for his death as they raced one another to reach this prey. The smile on his face spread as he allowed his youki to engulf the blade, sending a soft vibration through the wicked black metal. Slowly he rose the sword above his head and readied to launch his attack.

"KAZE NO KIZU!"

Several lines of destructive power raged through the streets, tearing up earth, asphalt and everything else in it's path. It ravaged through the swarm of monsters in a violent wave of death, tearing the beasts asunder as the bright light of power crackled through the air from the demonic powers intensity. It was a terribly beautiful sight that brought with it so much destruction, yet when used correctly it was the greatest offensive attack he'd ever seen. Not to mention so effective, the street may have not been rendered impassable but the number of bodies torn to pieces was well worth the price for the Kaze no Kizu.

There was only one small problem.

…He had not launched this Kaze no Kizu!

Seishi was still poised above his head, though it's power had fizzled out when his concentration was broken. The words still on the tip of his tongue as he stood frozen in place, wide blue eyes locked on the chaos unfolding before him. From the dust of the Kaze no Kizu's aftermath a form landed right in the center of the battle field. Sinking into a three point crouch the figure held out the only other weapon in this world that could launch such an attack.

Tetsusaiga gleamed as it's white blade caught the sunlight, clutched tightly in the hand of a figure clad in red robes and wearing long silvery white hair. A triangular dog ear flicked in his direction before the figure rose and turned to face him.

At that moment, amber eyes met his.


	30. Heart and Soul

Chapter 30 - Heart and Soul.

Inuyasha was standing before him.

Despite the distance between them it felt as if they were face to face. The amber eyes of a child he'd not seen more than a few moments as a newborn were now looking right into his. Frozen in place he could not tear his eyes away, as a flood of thoughts crashed through his mind like a violent maelstrom.

He does not know who I am.

_'They have all forgotten you...'_

He only see's me as a stranger.

_'You are nothing more than a lost memory...'_

Could I continue like this?

_'There is no place for you there...'_

What if I did confess?

_" You are NOT MY FATHER!"_

The memory of his eldest sons voice cut through his thoughts like a blade slicing flesh, causing him to flinch as his blood ran cold. Instantly his numb body began to move and his nerveless hands grip tightened around the hilt of the blade as it was driven through the open jaws of an oncoming monster. Splitting through rotted teeth and leathery flesh as it cut a path to sever the head from the necrotic beast's body. In the time he spent overwhelmed by emotions the monsters had surrounded them and no sooner had one been dispatched than two more came baring down on him!

Pushing aside all thoughts of his youngest son he quickly fell into the rhythm of combat, his senses were attune to the beast's that came for him. His blades striking and flowing in a wicked dance that carved up putrid flesh while he gracefully maneuvered just beyond the reach of snapping jaws and slashing claws. All the while sending a look over his shoulder to watch Inuyasha who was also deep in the fight. Another kaze no kizu tore through the streets violently, cutting down hordes of monsters in its wake. It also provided him the cover he needed to launch his own as the twin blades took on an eerie glow before releasing their own kaze no kizu. Tearing the opposite direction through the masses of beasts and leaving destruction in his wake. Decimating a good number of the attacking creatures.

For a few minutes the youkai found himself with some breathing room as the beasts that survived the powerful attacks were either too maimed or too few to retaliate just yet. It also presented to him the opportunity to collect the souls of the ruined as he raised one of his blades. A soft green glow rippling from the hilt along to the very tip of the sword, the spell charging to life one moment, then sparked and fizzled out as a stronger wave of demonic power washed over it. The feel of all too familiar youki coming down from behind him broke the old Daiyoukai's concentration. Spinning on a heel he crossed both blades above his head just in time to catch the full blow of the Tetsusaiga. Blue eyes narrowing on the ivory like sheen of the blade as it ground against his weapons. Never in his life did he ever think he would be facing the business end of his own Fang! Yet here he was bracing himself against the weapons vicious bite, a quite discontent looking hanyou at it's hilt. His expression becoming grim as he glared at the fang's current owner.

"Who the hell are you!? You don't smell like a youkai but you fight like one!" Inuyasha snarled as he dug his feet in and pushed against their locked weapons.

The expression on his face was nothing short of fierce with his fangs bared and his furry ears folded back. Despite the dangerous glimmer in his amber eyes there was a little betrayal of his curiosity as he gazed over this strange man's face. A feeling in his gut telling him there was more than meets the eye, his gaze hardened to a glare. Briefly entertaining the idea of beating the answers out of this guy if he didn't start talking!

His apparent fury only grew more when he noticed that the stranger expression twisted from grim to...amused? Not quite the insulting type, least not from what he could tell. Nonetheless a deep and impressive sounding growl rose from the hanyou, mingling with the words he forced through clenched teeth. "Hey...the hell are you smirking at?"

Part of the youkai just wanted to answer that question bluntly. If only this wasn't so delicate a situation. When he first lay eyes on Inuyasha his initial impression of the boy was of amazement. But now that he was up close like this he began to notice things, little details only a parent could pick out on their child. The amazement ebbed away and was quickly replaced with amusement, forcing him to fight a losing battle against the smile that wanted to surface. The longer he studied his youngest son though, the harder that became.

It was neither the time or place but he simply couldn't help it. The first thing he noticed was that Inuyasha was rather short for a dog demon. He looked about five and a half feet tall, least from what the nearly seven foot tall youkai could tell as he towered over him. More than likely inherited that from his mother. What he lacked in stature though he made up for in personality. Inuyasha was rude, that much was loudly apparent. He also seemed to be somewhat crude, barely groomed unlike his brother that preferred to preen. Especially his hair, honestly what in the seven hells happened to it?! It was all over the place! If that thick mane of his fluffed any more he'd look like something out of a kabuki theater! There was something else though that struck him about the boy, something that he didn't notice at first. But now that he was putting the pieces together, they formed a single word: feral.

Inuyasha could feel that he was being sized up and gritting his fanged teeth he abruptly gave the Tetsusaiga a mighty push! Forcing the smirking man back on his heels and catching the Daiyoukai off guard for a split second! Inuyasha may have looked like a runt but he possessed a strength that easily rivaled a demon's! Not only that, but the youki he could feel rolling off the boy was comparable as well. It was a surprise for him, one that left him unable to hide his little smile. He was proud of his boy. Whatever had happened to him and whatever he'd gone through he still persevered beyond anyone's expectations.

On the other hand, though, Inuyasha was becoming more furious at the sight of that look. Abruptly he raised the fang from his cross sword block and swung the blade back in an arc that was aimed for his opponent's head. "Will you answer me!?"

Apparently the boy persevered in all but his swordsmanship, he could foresee hanyou's strike from the moment he repelled the Tetsusaiga back. Bringing the twin blades back up beside him to easily block the fang once again. Giving a little grimace as the shock from the clashing weapons gave an ill sounding ring through his wicked sword. Tetsusaiga was his greatest weapon and he'd used it to crush many others in his time. If he was not careful Kokoro and Seishi would become the Steel-Crushing Fang's next victims. He had to protect the swords, but Inuyasha was out to make that difficult. By the twisted smile on the boys face he knew that the hanyou had also heard the painful cries of the twin swords. Taking advantage of that he repelled the fang and renewed his attack at a frenzied pace! Striking hard and repeatedly at the stranger, forcing him to give in ground under the weight of the attack.

Though it had nothing to do with the boys skill, the youkai was looking for a direction to retreat in. A fight with his youngest was not something he wanted right now, or ever for that matter. So he fended off the vicious blows from the Tetsusaiga while he searched for a means to flee. But every time he saw an opening to escape his son blocked his path with a slash of the blade. Each strike dragging the fight out longer. Each strike chipping away at his patience a little more. Another slash forced the youkai to jump into the air or lose everything from the knees down. No sooner had he landed than Inuyasha was back in to attack. What the boy lacked in skill he made up for in sheer determination.

It was enough to wear through that last shred of patience. After ducking the overhead swipe of the fang once again he suddenly shifted gears. He came back up from his position striking, forcing Inuyasha to hold his own blade in a defensive stance. The tables immediately reversed as the youkai came at the hanyou, striking at the raised fang mercilessly. The ringing of steel becoming deafening as the hanyou was forced to back up. Now it was his turn to search for a path of retreat; to feel what it was like to be cut off from escape! The twin blades whirled through the air as they clashed at the fang. Not giving the hanyou even a moments chance to strike back; leaving him pinned.

That didn't stop the boy from trying though, as he snarled in both fear and fury at the sudden change of his opponent's tactics; never noticing the wall that was quickly coming up behind him: courtesy of the youkai herding him along. With no where to run the boy would have no choice but to cease his assault. If only for just long enough for the youkai to make his escape.

"Inuyasha get out of there!"

A shrill voice cut through the air a moment before a terrible buzzing sound of an incoming arrow filled the air. With only a split second to save himself the youkai brought up his sword just as the arrow struck. Unleashing an explosion of purifying energy that was intense enough to send him flying! Not to mention powerful enough to rip the scorched blade from his hand; sending the weapon clattering over the broken roadway where it slid behind some rubble. Not that he had much of a chance to follow it as he also hit the pavement, feeling like someone had just tossed boiling oil over him! The youkai was unable to control a gasp as his skin crackled painfully and smoke rose from his burned flesh. Somehow managing to keep his wits through the first few moments of intense pain. He rolled over on the ground and quickly searched for the source of the cry. He spotted a young woman with beautiful blue-black hair perched on the roof of a van.

She may have been dressed in modern clothing but the bow in her hands and the charge of energy in the air gave her away for the Priestess that she was. A very young one at that, though she was surprisingly powerful. Enough to have knocked him clear off his feet with a single blow. It had been a very long time since he ever encountered a _Miko_ as strong as this one. Warily he kept an eye on her as he slowly recovered from the initial shock. Slowly rising back to his feet.

"Ooooww! Kagome! Watch where you're shooting will you!?" The boy griped from his position in the twisted remains of the car he'd crushed on impact when he flew from the blast.

"Hey I warned you to move! Besides you looked like you needed a hand." Drawing another arrow from her quiver she quickly knocked it and aimed for the rising form of the stranger. "Now, will you tell us who you are?"

Of course, blast the ever living hell out of him and expect him to stay and have a little chit-chat? The youkai's first answer was a cough that cleared his lungs of smoke, before he started to pick himself up.

"Don't move or I'll shoot you again!" Kagome quickly quipped as she drew her bow back. A look of concern coming over her face as the stranger seemed to not heed her. "Last warning there!"

It took considerable effort to not give into instinct and allow his youki to expand around him. It would have created a protective buffer against the purifying arrows but it would have also exposed him for what he was. The consequences of which he feared too much to chance it right now. With his blue eyes locked on the young woman he stood his ground while carefully gathering youki into the palm of his free hand. His tone firm as he returned with his own warning. "I have no intention of harming you, but if you continue to attack me I will retaliate."

Kagome remained unimpressed as she held her knocked arrow aimed for him. Despite looking very young and innocent she also had a battle hardened look to her that he'd never seen before. Instinct silently told him to cut her down before she let loose another arrow. But in the few minutes that he'd seen this young woman, it was apparent there was something between her and his son. Harming her was not an option. His gaze dropped to the van she was standing atop of instead, as he raised that clawed hand. The youki shimmering between his clawed fingers as he made ready to strike. Hoping to spoil her shot by knocking the vehicle right out from under her feet!

"Like HELL you will!" Inuyasha's cry erupted abruptly from beside the youkai as the hanyou came charging in. Within that moment he turned to witness the terrible blade of the Tetsusaiga coming down on him and he instinctively reached for it! Realizing it was a mistake a split second into it and expecting this to cost him a grave injury if not part of his arm! What he didn't expect was the blinding flash that erupted from the sword itself on contact with his flesh. For a brief moment both fighters were frozen in place, the youkai's eyes tightly closed. Silently wondering if he'd been cleaved in half. Though oddly he felt rather whole? Perhaps it was shock?

A few more seconds ticked by and the youkai was still felt like he was in one piece. Curiosity was getting the better of him and he slowly opened his eyes, letting them wander up to the blade. He stared in both relief and amazement that the Tetsusaiga was reduced to its dormant form and so was left resembling little more than a worn and rusted katana. He counted his blessings as he gazed to the shocked looking Inuyasha still clutching at the swords hilt. A little smile coming over his face as relief settled in.

The steel Fang though had more surprises in store. The entire blade enveloped in a pulse of power: resonating right through him from head to toe in a way that caused his breath to catch in his throat. His youki spiked out of his control as the sword that had once been an extension of himself attempted to pour some of its power into him. A feeling of euphoria washed out his senses until he heard the hanyou gasp beside him. He spared not another moment he released the blade and leapt back away from his son.

The blades pulsing ceased the moment he released it though he feared the damage was already done. The lingering spike of youki from the sword was enough to strip him temporarily of the crystal's cloaking power. It exposed all of his demonic features as his gaze drifted from the Hanyou's look of utter confusion to the young woman's surprised expression. A soft sigh escaping him as he dwelled on the thought that this was it, the boy had seen him. How he would react to the sight of the strange youkai however he had yet to see.

Once the crystal's effect began to recover he slowly turned from the pair; making his way towards his other sword. It'd been left on the ground still after the sacred arrow's blast. He kept his guard up even while he took on an air of indifference. At least until Inuyasha's expression turned angry once more. A frown reappearing on his face as he jabbed the still untransformed Tetsusaiga in his direction. " Hey Old Man! Where the hell do you think you're going?!"

That effectively shattered the effect the youkai was going for. For a second he pulled off a perfect 'Deer caught in headlights' look, frozen mid step. He found himself staring at his younger son with widened eyes. "Excuse me?"

"You heard me," If the hanyou knew he was being rude he didn't seem to care one lick about it. Instead he stomped his way towards the youkai, "You're him aren't you? My Old Man? Tetsusaiga wouldn't react like that to anyone else."

He regained enough composure to scoop up the remaining blade and he calmly took his time to sheath both weapons at his hip. He did not looking at his youngest as he fussed with the weapon clasp on his belt, since he was trying to appear busy so he could think. "How can you be sure? You've never seen your fathers face before have you?"

"Shut it Old Man. I know, how could I not know after seeing your face? Why the hell are you hiding in the first place? " Inuyasha huffed as he sheathed his own blade and folded his arms over his chest, flashing the old youkai a scolding look. Which momentarily wavered after seeing his downright befuddled look.

The youkai's thoughts were racing at that moment. Inuyasha had managed to catch him completely off guard. This was not what he was expecting from his youngest, a boy he knew never laid eyes on him before. Yet somehow he managed to identify him. With Tetsusaiga's help, but yet he still found it amazing. However it was the boy's rudeness that also surprised him! How Rude! Inuyasha was right, his sword knew of no other master. But honestly that was no reason to be rude! He ran a hand over his face a moment to settle the growing desire to teach his son better he managed to answer. "Before you raise accusations, no I did not cloak myself to avoid you."

"But you never came looking for me either, why was that old fart?" The boy's amber eyes narrowed at him.

This caused the youkai to return with a scolding look. "Because I…" his mind completed his sentence even if his mouth didn't. Because Inuyasha was taking to his return far better than Sesshoumaru did. Drawing a breath he gave a little sigh and shook his head. "…because it is a long story."

"I bet it is and Koibito, I don't think now is not a good time to hear it." Kagome quipped the next moment as she pointed to street behind the two. The necrotic monsters were coming back in a second wave! Beasts were emerging from behind buildings and crawling over piles of debris. Even the sewer cover went airborne as a snake like dead monster rose from it.

Inuyasha was quick to reach for his sword when the elder demons hand darted out to stop him. "It's fruitless to fight them here, there are hundreds if not nearly a thousand running through this city! To defeat them we must break the necromancy that gives them life."

The look of defiance was all over Inuyasha's face as the fires of battle lust burned in his eyes: making it clear that he wanted nothing more than to dive back in and take out the Necrotic monsters. Leaving the youkai feeling torn between being impressed at his boys bravery and feeling concerned over his carelessness. Thankfully he was not left to ponder that for long as Kagome butted in a bit. "He's right, koibito, we can't fight all of these. We need to find out what the hell is going on and stop it at the core."

His son stared at the miko and snuffed before he turned and started for the van. "Fine then, you old dog, come with us. I know a place where we can plan something."

A dark brow twitched a little as he slowly drew a breath to quell his own rising desire for combat. Though it was not with the necrotic's that he wished to battle with. Was it acceptable for him to slap some manners into his son after having only been reunited with him for 1 hour? Somehow he felt his boy was testing the waters a little and in a way the Youkai understood. Yet at the same time the urge to take this boy down and remind him who he's addressing smoldered threateningly. For that reason he wisely followed his son at a distance, knowing full well what would happen if Inuyasha came within arms reach.

Suddenly the gravity of what just happened hit him in a very delayed kind of way. 'Koibito'. The young woman, Kagome, said that to his son. She called him her lover and that caught a little of the old youkai's interest as he quietly watched the boy gather her from the top of the van. A Youkai romantically involved with a priestess! Such a thing had only existed in rumors and stories from long ago. It was well known that youkai would partner with spiritualists and demon hunters. However love between them was considered terribly taboo. Due to that he'd never seen a romantic relationship between a priestess and a demon until now.

Of course it would be his youngest who would break those rules. Much as he'd done the same, a sense of pride welling within him showing as a smile that crept to his face. Something Inuyasha noticed as he helped Kagome down from the van and onto his back. A furry ear flicking back as he eyed the older demon. "Hey, what are you smiling at?"

That smile remained as he shook his head, there was a lot for him to learn about his youngest pup. If only he had the time to sit down with him for a cup of tea and a talk. It was something he pushed to the back of his mind. " Let us be off Inuyasha, lead the way."

Kagome secured the bow onto her back before she expertly hopped down onto Inuyasha's back. Clasping his shoulders as she looked back at the demon who was preparing to them. " Are you sure about this?" She asked in a whisper that was just loud enough for those furry ears to pick up. "We've been to your father's grave, he's obviously dead."

At first he was too busy watching the demon to answer, making sure his father was right behind him as he took off running. Amber orbs looking ahead as his ears flicked back. " I know. I don't get what's going on but the Tetsusaiga knows it's him. " An ear twitched and he dared a look back once again, noticing something to his dismay and nearly paying for it by running into a packed car!

"Inuyashaaaa!" The miko squeaked to warn him seconds before the hanyou clumsily jumped over the vehicle. A string of curses following as he tried to continue on like he'd meant to do that. Kagome flashing him a look from behind. "What's wrong?"

Shaking his head, the hanyou quickly dove into an alley way the moment he saw flashing police lights, bolting down it as he chanced an answer. " I can't hear him running, it's bothering me. Now that I think of it, I don't remember getting a scent from him either."

Kagome took a moment to look over her shoulder at the demon following them. She had been with her lover for many years now and in that time she'd grown to understand all the little things about him. Including what unnerved him. By his very nature Inuyasha was not a very trusting person. Because of that he liked to keep track of strange people around him, the fact that his father's presence was difficult to detect was going to be something that would a challenge for him. She remained quiet about is as they neared their destination.

Keeping his hand on his sheathed blades the youkai followed at a respectable distance. His eyes always locked on his son as he weaved through the streets, questions rolling about in his mind. Something didn't seem right about him, though at the moment he did not have the time to investigate further. The three weaving through the streets and avoiding the presence of witnesses. Soon coming to a stop in front of the supposed 'safe place' that Inuyasha mentioned.

A noodle shop.

A sweat drop rolled down the you kais brow as he gazed up at the little store while his son set Kagome down. The shop looked rather quaint with a sign that read "Iris's Noodles" in ornate English characters. Below the windows were large and sported images of noodle bowl offerings, each looking more delicious than the next. All of which hardly made the building look like a good strategic command post. However the reason they were here hit him as his son opened the door and released a scent that he'd not smelled in a long while. Wolf Demon.

Inside the noodle shop the dining area was absolutely filled with wolf demons.

He had not seen a wolf demon in a very long time, never mind so many gathered in one spot. Most chatting among one another, some seated at tables while others cleared space to form little circles to discuss things. All of them becoming aware of the youkai that was gazing over them in amazement. Perhaps what amazed him the most was the fact that the wolf demons had even survived despite their mortal brethren's extinction years ago. Ookami were very close to their wolves, having been one of the few demons to coexist comfortably with the animals they were based from. With the wolves gone the ookami numbers also began to decline, he honestly thought they had gone extinct themselves. Yet here they were, dozens of them crowded into this little noodle shop. The older generations still sporting the furs traditional to their tribes while younger generations opted for human clothing of varying styles.

In his time there were many tribes of wolf demons, some boasting impressive numbers and controlling large territories. They were also quite difficult to deal with back then. Something he learned when several villages in the Western Lands were attacked by one particular tribe. It took several meetings, some blood shed and chasing the tribes leader into a cave where he was held captive for months before the wolves learned to respect his wishes. Regardless he was quite aware of the distrust wolf demons harbored for anyone else, something that still held true as he felt the weight of many eyes falling upon him.

"Hey Old Man, how long are you going to loiter there?" Inuyasha decided to pipe up to bring the youkai's attention back to the situation at hand. From his seat at the table filled with wolves he waved at his father in a beckoning way.

"Join us over here, we're trying to come up with a plan to stop this invasion.' Kagome added in a more respectable tone, having noticed the evil glint in the youkai's eye when he regarded Inuyasha. Pulling up a chair to scoot closer to the hanyou's side as she nudged him a little.

The rest of the table's occupants though did not seem so thrilled about his joining them. All had their eyes on the youkai as he approached, one of them more intently than the rest. This one was a female and her bright sea-green eyes were glued to him. She looked like she would pass as a twenty five year old human, though looks were never a good way to judge a demon's age. Her hair was parted into several long braids that were gathered behind her head in a loose pony tail. She was dressed in a loose fitting T-shirt and jeans that made her seem unremarkable to the untrained eye.

However the youkai was quick to pick up the hard look in those beautiful eyes and the tense posture in the way she was seated. This female was not like the others who quickly turned away the moment he looked at them. She had an air of authority around her and gave a sense of malice the youkai could feel from nearly across the room. She was the alpha of this pack of wolves.

The crystal had long since recovered from the Tetsusaiga's effect, leaving him in his human appearance. Though the way she stared gave him the feeling she was by no means fooled. Putting on a friendly little smile he made his way to join his son and the Miko. Drawing out a chair to settle down as he gazed up, and immediately locked onto those sea-green eyes.

At the table Inuyasha gently ran a hand over Kagome's for a moment, basking a little in a brief moment of affection together until he noticed her curious look going right over his shoulder. "Inuyasha, I think you should look behind you."

Confusion set in as he looked up and around the table, all the wolves around them were dead silent. All watching the silent staring contest between his father and the pack's alpha. Both looking grim faced at the other their gazes remaining unwavering. That was when he felt the tension quickly building in the air and understood what was going on. The meaning behind canine body language was mostly lost on him, having had no one to teach him really. Never mind the fact that many full demons never took a half demon seriously anyway. He did though recognize what was happening here. The alpha wolf was trying to make it clear to this new demon that she was in charge. Although she had no idea who she was trying to bully here, and if the stories of his father were true then there was going to be trouble!

Realizing that there would be a blood bath within seconds the hanyou scrambled to his feet and clapped his hand down over his father's head! Forcing a half hearted smirk as he shot a glare at the wolves. "HEY! Knock it off already! He's with me and if anyone has a problem with that, I'll deal with you!" The last part of that sentence was directed to the Alpha who just shook her head.

Kagome watched on at the odd sight of Inuyasha trying to be authoritive while the wolves gave him annoyed looks and his father looked just about ready to throttle him. Clearing her throat a little to disrupt the last of the lingering tension she turned to the alpha. "He's right Kiki. We found him fighting the monsters as well and we can use all the help we can get. "

Kiki's eyes drifted from the Hanyou and Youkai that were currently glaring at one another to the Priestess. She gave a tired sounding sigh as she leaned back in her chair and folded her arms over her chest. "Something feels off about him, there is an evil coming off his weapons that makes me uneasy. But if you think he can help us then I'll welcome him on board."

"He's alright of a guy, he's my dad." Inuyasha sighed and patted his already annoyed looking father on the head. "He has a lot of explaining to do though."

The Alpha's brow shot up a little as she leaned forward once more and rested her elbows on the table. Her gaze running from the dark haired and blue eyed youkai to the amber eyed and white haired hanyou as she commented sarcastically. "Your father? Really. I can see the resemblance."

Giving a frown Inuyasha was about to open his mouth to snap something rude when a curious thought came to his mind. Forgetting about his retort he instead grabbed a lock of his father's black hair. "Say Old Man, how do you do this anyway?" Without waiting for an answer he began to get a little nosy as he searched the youkai for anything that was obviously magical. Only to nearly jump out of his skin as a surreal sounding growl rumbled from the demon. A deep and echoing growl that sounded like it was coming from a beast much bigger than what was currently seated in the chair.

With narrowed blue eyes locked on his youngest son, the youkai's lip curled to bare a fang. Deep down he knew his son did not mean to be so insufferable, but at the moment his patience was absolutely shot. Drawing a breath he bit back the first harsh scolding words that came to mind in favor of something a little milder. "Enough Inuyasha," his growl mingling with his tone as he watched his son slowly back off. The look on the boy's face one of confusion and caution as he slowly reached for the Tetsusaiga at his hip.

Perhaps it was for reassurance, or perhaps the boy truly felt like he was in danger. Nonetheless he was not in the mood to deal with another sword fight with his son. Raising his own clawed hand he jabbed a finger towards the chair and growled one last word. "Sit!"

However the look on the youkai's face faltered a little at the boys response. For a few brief seconds he froze in place with a gasp and paled. Ears folded flat and his hair practically standing on end. Holding his hands out before him as if he were preparing for something. Only to flinch when realization hit! Biting back a curse as he tried to regain his composure by plopping down on the chair with a snuff. Ignoring the strange look on his father's face.

The entire little show left him quite curious and perhaps a little worried that he'd just overstepped a boundary here. Though let it go for the time being. Turning back to the wolves then he only now realized how quiet the room had become. The attention of numerous eyes drawn right onto him. Though he did not let it bother him as his gaze returned right back to the skeptical looking alpha female. "Forgive me for asking, but may we commence with the talks here? You have been fighting these same Necrotic monsters from my understanding. Corpses raised and twisted into foul monsters that hunt the streets tirelessly ."

"They took a few of our own when they first appeared." The alpha stated in a cool tone, looking unshaken from the strange experience. Her gaze was still locked on the youkai, however this time she took care not to make any open challenges. "My name is Kokikishin, I am the leader of Kantou Ookami. We became involved after the first major quake, the ground in part of the city opened up swallowing the street and everyone on it. Two of my pack were there to help dig out the humans that were trapped when the first monsters appeared."

Now the Alpha began to show a growing anger, her hands balling to fists as she continued. "They did not stand a chance against those things. The second group dispatched with weapons also failed to return." With that her gaze turned to lock on the youkai before her. " We are not the only Youkai in this fight, others have stayed behind after the order to evacuate the city was given. But there is little information about our enemy. Do you know anything about this monsters?"

It wasn't surprising really to him that other youkai has stayed to fight. Some demons were territorial in nature and didn't take kindly to any threat. Even in this modern age. To him this was good news, it meant there were other possible fighters in the city. Though at the moment all he had was the wolves and their leader who was determined to drive this threat out of her home. Giving a little nod to the female he rested his elbows on the table as he began.

"Let me inform you of the Dark Queen."

The images on the television screens looked surreal, people fleeing from their homes, cars grid locked in the streets and authorities doing everything they could to try and keep order in a crisis. It looked like a scene from a monster movie, only Sentei new better. There was no guy dressed in a rubber suit stomping through a replica of the city this time. The monsters were very real, the chaos was very clear. Every TV screen in the Taijiya's office was showing nothing but scenes of chaos one after the other. The leader of the Taijiya sat back in his chair as he looked over every one, his heart sinking a little more every moment. "Chousa, any further information on the threat?"

From behind a wall of monitors the lanky young man of the Taijiya's command center stood up, running a hand through his tousled hair as he tried to control the frustration in his tone. "All the cameras in the subways are knocked offline. Last Intel I received from the authorities is that the attacks have spread past the barricade."

Sentei's eyes closed a little in thought from the news, the Hospital was within a few miles of the barricade. Leaving him torn between focusing his meager forces on finding the Dark Queen, looking for the strange new demon or protecting the people of the city from an immediate monster attack. Smoothing down his mustache in thought the Taijiya gazed intently at the TV screens before him.

"I say we go into the subways and track down the Queen bitch." Gosan called from the door way where he was leaning against the frame. He looked very much like he'd just rolled out of bed, his short hair was sticking up in odd directions and his eyes were still heavy from sleep. Dressed in only red and black pajama bottoms, the young Taijiya sported a lean build that bore a few bandages from his last encounter with the Dark Queen. He scratched lightly at his toned belly as he gazed sleepily over to the TVs on the wall.

"Why do you always walk around here half naked?" Chousa groused as he flashed the young warrior a nasty look over his glasses. A smile creeping on his face to match the look. "Who are you trying to impress? Riku isn't here, so that leaves...?"

Sentei cleared his throat loudly just as Gosan was about to retort something nasty. Pushing up from his chair the Taijiya leader gave both the hot headed young men a look to settle the silly spat before it escalated. Gosan giving a 'hrrumph!" and turning away, feigning interest with the TVs while Chousa frowned and pushed up his glasses. Plopping himself down onto his computer chair. Shaking his head a moment the Tajiya leader folded his arms over his chest. "Go get geared up Gosan. I am sending you to join Riku at the hospital, you two must defend it's location until the building can be evacuated. I will station myself along the ambulance route. "

The young warrior looked over to his leader with a little smirk, not one to miss out on some action Gosan gave a little laugh and made his way back out of the door. Leaving Chousa to fester a little behind his keyboards until Sentai addressed him next. "I need you to continue following the path of these monsters, you must communicate to us the moment you see any major clashes between people and those things." Sentai tried to show a little encouragement to his subordinate, though he knew in the end it was fruitless. Chousa did not like Gosan, the two were like oil and water. Shaking his head the Taijiya rose from the chair, getting ready to leave when he found his way blocked.

Standing in the doorway was another young man, with a slight build and short height of only five feet. His silken hair was a chestnut color that he bound just behind his neck, the long bangs framing a young looking face that bore a few feminine characteristics. His black and silver armor differed from the rest of the Taijiya, it rested loosely on his frame and bore a set of samurai style bracers instead of the gauntlets that were favored by Sentei and Gosan. Along with tabi boots instead of normal knee highs used by the hunters. Tucked at his hip were a katana and a wakizashi, the tools of his trade and of which a hand clasped reflexively around as his leader turned to face him.

"Hakoku," The taijiya leader nodded a greeting to the samurai. "You've come just in time, you're one of my best demon hunters." Pausing a moment the Taijiya leader looked over the small samurai, a confident smile drawing over his face.

" I need your tracking skills to find a specific demon."

Chapter 30-end.


	31. Darkness Falls

_Authors note: I want to apologize for taking so long. Fighting off an odd case of writers block…writers indecisiveness…? The Muse and I are just not getting along at the moment, let's leave it at that. Due to this I only managed a short chapter. Which in the end is better than no chapter. I hope to make up for it on the next chapter. Thank you again for your patience. _

Chapter 31 - Darkness Falls.

The noodle shop was filled from wall to wall with wolves of every shape and size, small, large, old and young. All gathered for a common cause as they spoke softly amongst each other. Making plans and readying their weapons as best they could despite the feeling of anxiousness in the air. The battle they all faced was not easy, for some it was not the first time facing the animated and quite mutated corpses roaming the streets. These were the ones who related their stories and warned the inexperienced of what to expect. It was this strong feeling of unity in the face of adversity that was the greatest strength of the wolf demons.

For a table near the back of the noodle shop however, that good feeling was noticeably absent. In it's place was a tension so thick that it hung like a dark cloud over the tables occupants as sparks flew between the two responsible. On one side sat the Inu no Taishou, looking quite calm and relaxed to the casual observer. Sitting back in his chair with his arms folded over his chest and a patient expression on his face, he regarded the packs Alpha Female with half lidded eyes. Seeming unbothered by the hostile aura coming off of KoKokishin in waves that made even Inuyasha fidget uncomfortably in his seat.

Unlike the Daiyoukai though, Koki did not bother hiding her emotions, her jaw was set and her brow creased as narrowed sea green eyes studied the stranger across the table. Making it very clear that she was not convinced. As the stand off continued Kagome shifted a little in her seat, moving closer to Inuyasha as she kept a hold on a fist full of fire rat cloth. Her mahogany eyes slowly rolled from the Alpha, who's mouth was hidden behind her clenched fist. To the youkai who's emotionless facade was betrayed by the dangerous glimmer in his eyes.

Slumping somewhat against the hanyou she gave a little sigh. A small effort that failed to break that stubborn silence. This was ridiculous! Hard to believe that only a few minutes ago everyone was talking in a civil manner. The Daiyoukai had shared his story, filling the wolves in about the Dark Queen and the necromancy that raised the monsters from cadavers. All seemed well as Koki listened to every detail. But things turned sour when the questions began. At first they were simple requests for clarifications in his information. Then Koki switched gears and began to ask personal questions. Where was he from? How did he know so much about Necromancy? What was his name?

As the old youkai skillfully skirted around answering each one, the Alpha wolf began to grow more and more suspicious. It got to the point that even Kagome began to wonder for a moment about this demon that Inuyasha claimed was his father. Though it was only for a moment and she dismissed it. She trusted Inuyasha's judgment, not to mention the Tetusaiga's call. But how do you convince a skeptical wolf to believe in something a sword says? At that moment Kagome realized a little too late that it had been a bad idea for Inuyasha to go announcing that he was his father. After all, the Inu no Taishou was supposed to have died centuries ago. Their luck though was holding out as it seemed that none of the wolves in the room currently knew the story of Inuyasha's blood line.

Although that was as far as their fortune would stretch. Koki had already picked out that the Inu no Taishou lacked a scent and a demonic aura. She asked him about that, as well as his credentials for identifying magic and just as before he offered her vague answers. It was the final straw. Without warning Koki made a noise deep in her throat, which caused the entire noodle shop to abruptly fall deathly silent.

The tension was starting to reach a breaking point and Kagome began to worry as she looked around the shops dining room. It wasn't necessarily that she feared for the Hanyou's long lost father, something told her he could hold his own even against a pack full of wolves. But if a fight did suddenly break out they would more than likely lose the cooperation of the Ookami, a far worse situation.

Kagome's grip tightened on Inuyasha's arm as an annoyed look came over her face. If only she could think of a good argument in the dog demons favor! Unfortunately though, despite trusting Inuyasha, she couldn't shake off that nagging skepticism. Even if Inuyasha had pointed him out as his father the whole concept did not make sense to the young Miko. She clearly remembered the first time she ever laid eyes on the legendary dog general, his huge bones forming his mausoleum. It was in his chest that Inuyasha had battled his older brother for the Tetsusaiga and yet here he was now, sitting in front of them. With that helpless feeling boiling in the pit of her stomach, she tried to at least keep Inuyasha from escalating things further while holding her own emotions in check.

Leaving the whole unfolding situation to Koki and the Dauyoukai. Who's eyes were beginning to narrow. They could not afford to waste time, yet as precious minutes ticked by the alpha wolf's lack of response or action was starting to wear on his patience. With growing restraint he kept the expression on his face calm as he lifted a hand and motioned for her to add to the conversation. "M'lady, would you care to give us your thoughts?"

Weather it was out of lack of desire of just plain spite, Koki did not answer for a few long minutes. Instead she rested her chin on her folded hands and held the demon in her icy gaze. Giving little inclination of wanting to add anything beyond a flare of her nostrils and a narrowing of her eyes. "You want to know what I think?" There was such a sharp tone to those words that a few of the wolves around them snapped to attention. "Do you really want to know what I think, Dog?" The expression on her face didn't change but that last word came steeped in venom. "I think that there is a risk with dealing with a devil dog like you. I think it's far too convenient how Inuyasha finds someone who is so knowledgeable about this threat when our own packs elders could find little information."

Koki paused for a moment, chilled anger flashing over her eyes as she let those words sink into the Dog Demon's heads. When Inuyasha gave a snort she quickly turned on him like a striking viper! Cutting off his argument and forcing him to shrink back in his seat a little. "I am no fool like you Inuyasha! Look for yourself." Her eyes returned to the youkai who was showing an amazing level of calm despite the hostilities. "Can you smell him? Do you sense a demonic aura? How about the little hints of dark magic that surrounds him? " She practically pinned the boy in his seat with her fierce lecture. Preventing him from sticking a word in his fathers defense. Not that he could find the words to begin with. Leaving the boy plainly frustrated as he huffed, trying to hide his discomfort. Meanwhile the wolves around them became quite tense as the stronger individuals began to push closer to the table.

After a few long and very tense moments Koki gave an exasperated sigh. Finally releasing Inuyasha from the hot seat with a dismissing wave of her hand. Sometimes she felt that dealing with that half breed dog demon was like dealing with a slow child. "What am I saying? Of course you can't, that is putting too much faith in a Hanyou's abilities."

The quip caused Kagome's expression to sour and Inuyasha to flash her an annoyed look. Though before either could raise a voice in protest a deep and monstrous sounding growl rumbled. It was a distinct warning growl that echoed loudly enough that it brought the attention of the whole table back to the Daiyoukai. Their confidence rattled, some of the pack members who were so eager to get in closer were re-thinking their actions and backing away a few steps.

His calm expression long gone and replaced by an authoritative scowl, a fierce look shimmering in those blue eyes. It was difficult to tell if the Alpha was goading him into relieving himself, or if she was simply this unbelievably dense. But either way he was not in any mood to take it, especially when she targeted his son unfairly. His threatening was enough to make Koki, who had suddenly shed her own mask of emotion, shift in her seat. Keeping a wary eye on him while she reached behind her chair, for what he could only guess was a weapon.

The growl ended with a soft hiss, the youkai needing a moment to compose himself before he spoke. "If you wish to keep that tongue woman, then you should pay more mind to what you say in front of me." Where as the alphas words were laced with venom, the youkai's deceptively soft tone belied words filled with the promise of blood shed. Their eyes locked once more, only this time it seemed that Koki was having a more difficult time maintaining eye contact as she began to break out into a sweat. Looking torn between remaining in her seat and preparing herself for a fight, a sentiment that was shared by the rest of her pack as the sounds of weapons being drawn filled the air.

Even Inuyasha was reaching for his sword as he glared at the nearby wolves, daring them to make a move. The tension in the Noodle shop skyrocketed as Kagome looked back and forth between the two youkai. Snapping first. With a frustrated sound she released Inuyasha and stood up, smacking her hands on the table. "Listen, it doesn't freaking matter where he's from, or who he is! Those are petty details in light of what we're up against! He has the information we need, and we do not have time to quibble about where the hell it came from. Capice? So just get over yourself and work with the guy. Or this city is going to suffer!"

Her little show drew a look of surprise from the Inu no Taishou as well as a look of ire from Koki, the rest of her wolves surrounding the table looked a little uncomfortable. Taking up a fight with an angry Miko never ended well, especially this Miko. Not a single one of the wolves looked like they wanted to test their luck. Ignoring them Kagome kept her pressure on the Alpha. " We can't be fighting like this! Koki, I know it's hard to trust Inuyasha's judgment against what you see but the city maybe doomed if you don't!"

"Try all you want Kagome, I would be very careful dealing with this demon if I were you." Koki practically spat as she held her glare on the Daiyoukai. " You expect me to believe some strange demon's word about something so dangerous? Especially when he wont explain himself?" Her eyes narrowed in her growing skepticism. The alpha's bravado renewed faith among her pack and soon many of the wolves started to sneer as they eyed the youkai. Not daring to make a move just yet as if waiting for the word from their alpha. However that didn't stop other wolves from piping up. Some calling the old Dog Demon a possible enemy, while others jabbed at the racism that still lingered between dogs and wolves. Slinging slurs at both dogs.

It was enough to get Inuyasha out of his seat despite Kagome's efforts to stop him. Managing to stand just in time to meet the packs largest wolf, Nodu if Kagome remembered right. A huge eight foot tall wolf that was built like a pro wrestler and had a face much like a bull dogs with his over bite. Bulky and brutish looking with a large head and a square jaw, this wolf looked a little more beastly than the rest of his kin. Yet that didn't dissuade Inuyasha who's amber eyes flashed a fierce glare up at the wolf. His lip curling into a fang baring sneer as he rolled up a sleeve in preparation. "You want a damned fight you mange covered flea bag? I'll be happy to give you one!"

Leaving Kagome alone at a table frustrated, they had reached the breaking point and now that Inuyasha was out of her grasp the chaos was imminent. Drawing a breath, she slowly stood back up straight, knowing this was a delicate situation but still determined to defuse it she looked to the Alpha. She had to start somewhere. "Koki, I know it's hard to believe but I vouch for his knowledge."

The fire in the Alpha's eyes burned brightly as she turned on the meddling Miko once more, but the harsh words that were rolling on her tongue were quickly bitten back at the sound of a chair scraping the floor. It was awfully loud considering it was just a metal chair on a clay tile covered floor, but the effect was more than enough. The wolves rude callings died down to a murmur and Nodu suddenly became a little less interested in getting any closer. The Daiyoukai was on his feet, his cold blue eyes slowly scanning the room as he waited for even one wolf to test his patience. Demonic energy already building in his clawed hand.

One of the curses of being the one person who has most of the information is that there was bound to be someone to cross reference them. As much as he wished to answer Koki's questions, there were some answers that he simply could not give out to anyone. Let alone a pack of ungrateful wolf demons. Because of this he had completely lost his credibility in their eyes. On one hand he could understand why they felt this way, on the other hand he felt it was their loss if they failed to heed him.

When his eyes finally fell on the Alpha he raised that clawed hand and clenched it into a fist. Snuffing out the demonic power as his lip quirked as he held back a sneer of disgust. However his feelings were easy to detect in his rough tone. "Do as you wish then."

Some things never change, even after hundreds of years the ookami were still thick headed and unreasonable demons. And was no point trying to reason with the clearly unreasonable. At least that was how he felt at the moment. All he could hope for was that the Alpha would wise up to his words before too many of her pack fall victim to the necromantic monsters. Turning on a heel he walked away from the table, purposely turning his back on Koki in a clear dare. Of which she only bared her fangs at, reluctant to disobey her own wolfish instincts, there was just something about this dog that set off her gut instincts. Something the rest of the pack seemed to share as they quickly broke their ranks and got out of the Daiyoukai's way.

"Hey Old Man! Where the heck are you going!" Inuyasha demanded when he realized his father was leaving. Having been too occupied with harassing Nodu to see it sooner. Forgetting about his lost opportunity to crack his opponents skull the hanyou quickly chased after his father. Kagome not far behind as she gathered her bow and quiver and made to follow.

"Inuyasha wait up!" She huffed as she scurried along the quickly closing path through the crowd of wolves and reached the door. Pushing her way outside into the dark Tokyo night. Only to draw to a stop as she looked around at the dark street. " Wait…it's night time?"

Inuyasha slowed to a stop as well when he realized how dark it was, coming up beside the youkai he quickly came to the realization. "Wait, how can it be dark? It was the middle of the day when we got here." His eyes rose to the skies where dark clouds rolled in an unnatural way, almost completely blotting out the sunshine. With a question on the tip of his tongue he turned to his father, only to notice that the youkai was staring out into the city intently.

The winds were picking up, carrying with them the tell tailed smell of that rare necromancy. It was strong enough that the youkai picked it up the moment he stepped outside. Stopping him in his tracks as he turned his nose up and searched for the source.

Holding up a hand to silence his son he turned a little into the direction of the wind. At that moment the stubborn wolves and their insufferable alpha were forgotten. Instead he studied the streets before him, the buildings lining them as well as the broken windows and large debris. Anything that could change the direction of the wind was dutifully noted as he worked. The Dark Queen was showing her hand to them. She had to be near. If only he could see something that was a dead give away to her location!

He drew a deep breath, slowly taking in the scent once more as something that sounded like thunder rolled in the distance. Though when the ground suddenly lurched under his feet he realized that thunder was caused by no storm! Struggling to keep his balance he bit back a curse, mindful that he was in the presence of a Lady. Another earthquake, this time it was more violent that before! Behind him the boy shouted a curse in his stead while the miko screamed, around them buildings swayed dangerously. Some already weakened by the previous tremors literally crumbled and began to fall down! Bringing a deadly rain of debris falling around them.

Wolves began to pour out of the noodle shop as Inuyasha quickly grabbed Kagome and helped her onto his back shouting back to his father. "We got to get away from here!" Much to his frustration and shock though, the old dog was not listening to him. Instead he stared down the street as he fought to keep his footing on the shaking ground. "Old Man! You're going to get flattened if you stay-" His sentence died before it could finish as he followed his fathers gaze and finally saw what stopped him.

A vortex of darkness, looking much like a tornado spinning through the air and reaching up to the dark clouds above. As the winds picked up to violent levels the stench of that black goo became impossible to miss. As was the dark haze as it returned to earth in a deadly rain. The consequences were frightening to even consider and here it was unfolding before their eyes. It would be absolutely crazy to head into it. That was when the older dog demon cast his younger son a side long look. Inuyasha's expression hardened then as he nodded. Bringing a smile to the old you kais face.

The earth tremor began to subside as the last of the wolves escaped the small noodle shop, followed by Koki. Who paused to take in the destruction around them as debris continued to rain down around them. Turning around in time to see the brutal destruction of the city and the two dogs racing down the street right for it. Biting her lower lip in conflict before shouting. " I need a group of our strongest to follow me! The rest of you find a safe place and set up camp! Prepare for wounded!" And perhaps a couple of dead dogs. Adding that part mentally as she pushed her way out of the pack and started running after the trio.

Chapter end.


	32. Experiences and Patience

Chapter 32 - Experiences and Patience.

Buildings continued to crumble long after the tremors ceased, while a dark cloud hung ominously over the city. Blotting out the sky and adding to the apocalyptic scene. From the chaos a monstrous claws latched onto the edge of a concrete slab, followed by what looked like a very large cat. At one point it had been a cat at least, now it was a beast standing nearly eight feet at the shoulder. It's fur blackened with sticky liquid that oozed from the many open wounds in it's rotting flesh. An animated corpse that was mutated into something hideous.

The creature furiously scraped it's hind paws along the side of the ledge it was climbing, claws raking for purchase as the monster squirmed it's way up. Tilting it's head into the wind as it caught the scent of living blood nearby, the scent that had lured it all the way up the side of a partially collapsed building. Now that living blood was just within its reach. Encouraging the beast to pull itself up onto the ledge at last, giving a vicious sounding growl as it turned...right into the swing of an oncoming sword!

Inuyasha yanked the Tetsusaiga free just as the grotesque corpse slid back over the edge. Giving a growl of his own as he kicked the severed head left behind after it. " These damned things are everywhere! "

Down below on the street level waves of wolf demons charged through, meeting the equally menacing wave of monsters emerging from the ruins. Watching over the scene from the bared steel skeleton of a ruined office building was the Inu no Taishou. The disapproving look on his face plain to see as he surveyed the battle grounds before him. Despite his warning to the Wolf demons leader, Koki still gave the order for her people to attack a force of monsters that could not be slain by conventional means. These creatures were not alive to begin with and only removing their souls would stop them from rising once more. Simply hacking at them was a useless endeavor, but it seemed packs alpha would not learn this lesson any other way.

There still could be a chance to save the wolves from their fate. If he could find some means of stopping the spread of this terrible Necromancy that was plaguing the city! Turning away from the battle raging below him the youkai quickly crossed the steel beam, leaping his way to the next building. Sure footing and excellent balance giving him an advantage as he crossed the cracked concrete that fell away the moment he passed. Though he had to be mindful of his son who was following almost right behind him.

The plan was a simple one from the very start. Take the high route deeper into the city, keeping well above the city streets and out of the monsters reach. Most of them anyway. However Koki, the wolves alpha contested almost everything he'd recommended. In the end the two dogs and priestess took off on their own. Using the remains of a fire escape to vault to the next roof top, he pushed the thoughts of wolves foolishness to the back of his mind. There were bigger issues at hand as they closed in on the massive vortex of dark energy that reached up to the skies. Creating dark clouds that blotted out the sunlight and plunged everything around into an unnatural night.

Inuyasha was right behind with Kagome riding on his back, trying to keep herself stable as she held her bow ready. She had been given the important task of shooting down the bird like monsters that soared over their heads. Before they could swoop down and carry one of them off. Luckily the miko only had to snipe down a couple of the beasts that soared too close. Making the trip for them a relative breeze, until that breeze became a gusty wind.

The closer they approached t the swirling tornado of power the stronger the winds became. Whipping up dust and small pieces of concrete over them as they bounded from one roof top to the next, coming up to the very last building left standing on the edge of the destruction. The youkai came to a stop then as he raised an arm to shield his eyes from the flying debris. They were still a couple of miles away from the stationary tornado but even then the winds were so strong they threatened to sweep them off the roof top.

Through his wind whipped hair he tried to peer through the dense cloud at the base of the tornado, only to lash a clawed hand out to grab his son by the sleeve! Stopping the boy from leaping off of the roof with a hard yank. "And just where do you think you are going?"

The boy gave a yelp as he was grabbed and staggered a moment while he regained his balance, Kagome clinging to his back with a squeak! Spinning around he faced his father with a look of astonishment that rivaled the old demons. "Where else? We have to find a way to stop that whirl wind!"

That look of astonishment only deepened on the old demons face. " Alright then son, exactly what plan do you have in mind that will allow us to safely pass through those winds?"

"Well I was just going to see how strong the winds were and maybe look for a way to get past them." Inuyasha answered with a look of child like innocence.

Kagome peered up over his head to stare at the violently churning clouds ahead of them. A doubtful look clear on her face. "I don't think running at it is the best way to go about stopping it. You're strong-but you're not Superman."

Meanwhile the youkai was staring slack-jawed at his son. Silently he wished that this was merely a jest and that he didn't make a habit of running head long into danger without a plan. Softly he drew a breath, calming himself a little. " Inuyasha, you can see how powerful the winds are from here. If you notice…the city around the tornado is flattened. Meanwhile I can spot with the naked eye a few large objects caught in those winds."

Pieces of buildings were caught up in those winds in fact, spinning around and around with no signs of falling back to earth any time soon. Yet Inuyasha gave the chaotic scene one look and shrugged. " I think I can dodge whatever gets thrown at me. If I get hurt I'll back off and think of something else."

Kagome gave a sigh then and reached out to rub the hanyou between the ears. "Don't mind him. His favorite method of dealing with unknowns is to throw every single attack in his arsenal at it and see what makes a dent." Ignoring the 'keh!' that rose from the boy.

However if she was trying to sooth the youkai's worries over his son, it was too little too late. He already had a look of horror and shock on his face at the display of nonchalance in the face of certain death. "Even so, I do not think anything the Tetsusaiga can unleash will stop a tornado of that intensity. The Kaze no Kizu would be overtaken and swept away, never mind the fact that you are dealing with magic here. Not demonic power."

"I could still find something else that could help us Old man!" The annoyance his tone was not hard to miss. Folding his arms over his chest he gave his father a stern look. " I've done this before as Kagome said, it may not be the most elegant way of dealing with a problem, but it's worked for me before. Right Kagome?"

She stopped petting him between the ears and tried to smile. "N-not really. Sometimes it does, but this time I think you should listen to your father on this."

The flat look on the Hanyou's face was proof that he didn't quite like that answer. Looking back to the tornado he considered his original plan once more, only to change his mind as he watched a bus caught in the violent winds floating along through the air. "Fine! Have it your ways then. I just want to get to this Dark Queen before she can cause any more damage to the city. And what is a 'Superman' exactly Kagome? What's so super about him?"

After a moment of silence an ear twitched as he looked over his shoulder. Noticing that

Kagome's attention was drawn elsewhere, her head turned as she stared off into the distance intently. "I sense power over that way, it's like the darkness here though weaker." She added at first, drawing the full attention of both arguing dogs to her. Turning her head the other direction she focused once more. "It's not the only one either, I also sense the same kind of power this way. "

Mulling over that interesting piece of information the youkai gazed back to the vortex of power in front of him. The raging winds that ripped everything off of the ground, trapping them in a constant and deadly spin. " There is truly nothing we can do here while this land locked Maelstrom rages. Perhaps then we should split up? Kagome's ability to sense dark magic is far more heightened than my own and time is of the essence. " There was more than simply time at risk here for the whipping winds carried with them the smell of blood. His thoughts returned to the wolf demons as he reluctantly turned his back to the tornado of dark power. "I need to return to the wolves before that foolish alpha leads them to their extinction."

A annoyed sounding "Tch!" was all the answer that Inuyasha would offer at first as he tossed his wife up a little to position her better on his back. "Fine then old man, good luck with Koki. You better be there when Kagome and I get back too!" The snap in the those words failed to cover the little bit of emotion in his voice. Something that his father did not miss, though dared not acknowledge.

"Inuyasha, a moment ago you were ready to rush head long into a deadly surge of power just to see if you could find some clue in defeating it. If anything I should be the one worried that you might not come back with that gung-ho attitude of yours!" Unable to help it he cast his son a proud little smile. " It amazes me how you have survived this long."

The look of suspicion was all over Inuyasha's face. "Yeah, about that surviving thing, you and I need to have a talk about that when this is all over." Not seeming all too interested in the old dogs response now he turned his attention over his shoulder to Kagome as he walked towards the edge of the roof top. "Can you pin point the source of power?"

"You know I can't pinpoint anything. I can point you in the general direction-and play hot and cold. So, start by heading over that way." she responded and pointed back off in the direction that she'd indicated before. Leading him off to their part of the mission.

The smile on his face slowly faded as his son's words hung in the air. Leaving him speechless as he watched the boy leave with the Miko. For some reason those words stung more than he cared to admit and it took him a little time to come to terms with the uneasiness that was left in their wake.

When he could finally look away from their departing forms he pushed his emotions to the back of his mind and focused instead on the current problem at hand. The smell of wolf blood was strong on the winds now and it gave him a good reason to pick up his pace and retrace his track back to the battle field.

The scent though was not nearly enough to prepare him for that lay ahead. As he sprinted across the tops of broken and precariously leaning buildings he caught sight of the blood drenched streets below. Corpses lay everywhere, some were of the monsters others were of the wolves massacred in the battle. Their bodies splattered with the same terrible black goo that would ultimately raise them again to become warriors of the Dark Queen. Soon enough the remaining wolves would be facing the gruesome monstrosities of their former pack mates. Unless he did something about it.

Hopping onto another broken roof top he spotted a ledge nearby that looked perfect, he was sheltered out of sight of the wolves but could still see much of the battle field.

Sliding off the roof he gracefully fell for nearly a full story before he landed lightly onto his perch, sinking to a knee as he drew one of his dark swords from his belt. Holding the blade up with both hands as he softly recited the spell that would awaken the magic within. A soft blue glow emanating from then enveloping around the sword from tip to handle, progressing as the magic weaved over it.

In reaction to the old magic's call, little orbs of light began to rise from the fallen corpses around him. At first one by one, but soon others appeared. Each shimmering like a candles flame as it floated through the air, only to be caught on an unseen current. Carrying them upwards towards the ledge to the source of the calling and the magical artifact that was awaiting their arrival. A hand full at a time the little flickers of light reached him, drawn in from every corner of the battle field. Each one vanishing once they touched the wicked steel of the sword.

A constant stream of tiny flickering lights, souls were difficult to detect unless one knew how to look for them. In his case their eerie lights shimmered brightly to his eyes and the smell of their presence was something he could never find the right words to describe. Such as his present string of thoughts, deep down inside he harbored a little concern. This magic was not his, yet he'd tapped it without being sure that it wouldn't draw unwanted attention. This was all a risk for him. Yet in a way, he was lucky to have such a powerful tool at his disposal.

It felt strange to think that way. Considering that the magic and the weapons were meant to do something far more sinister. Right now though it was being used to save lives, a blessing yet somehow it still left him feeling uneasy. With a soft snuff he forcefully banished the thought from his mind. It wasn't something he should be dwelling on at a time like this. His thoughts focusing instead on the next challenge he would soon face. When the last of the souls were absorbed into the sword, he rose to his feet and sheathed the blade. This part was easy, the challenge still lay ahead of him.

Without making a sound he slipped down off the ledge and dropped to street level. From there all he needed to do was follow the trail of bodies through the streets. Frightfully numerous bodies, for every few monstrous corpses there was a dead wolf. Some of which were already beginning to disappear into dust now that their souls were gone. Our of a force of habit he began to searched in vain for signs of life among those that still remained. "Such a terrible waste."

Although unsure what the exact number of dead there were, he knew that at the rate they were going, they would never reach the Dark Queen. They may also never recover their numbers once the battle was over. How could their Alpha be so careless? Did she want the last of her people to follow their mortal wolf counterparts to extinction? Never in his centuries did he ever sacrifice any force he commanded, no matter how lowly and unscrupulous the demon was. The fact they pledged to fight for him was enough to earn that much respect from him.

Koki however seemed to have no concern of her forces. Could this blood shed all be due to spite? The mere consideration made his stomach churn and his anger boil. It also caused his demonic aura to unfurl a bit while he picked up the pace. Abandoning any hope of finding life in this blood field. Silently working away a strategy to confront the packs alpha, even if it could potentially be a wasted effort. Wolves were notoriously hateful towards dogs, but this was going too far. If at the very least he could try to stop this crazy female from killing her entire pack then he'd feel better for it.

However he planned to give Koki hell before she ordered the remaining survivors to rush off to their deaths. In the meantime he was so steeped in his seething anger that he did not realize how quickly he'd found the wolves secured camp. Though the building was a rather poor choice for a camp in his opinion. One it had been a large store front. Now though it's glass had long since shattered, it's broken and useless door swinging lightly in the breeze. Just beyond the store front, one could see furniture piled off to the sides and out of the way in order to let the wolves regroup and tend to their wounded inside.

Two guard wolves stood near the entrance, flashing the approaching dog sour looks. Both leaving their posts to stand in the way . Until they felt the intense demonic aura wrapped around the Daiyoukai's approaching form. Instinct kicked in at that moment for these young wolves. Sweat drops rolling down the two quickly jumped out of his way. The youkai not even bothering to give them a look as he held his head up and walked past, largely ignoring the frightened guards.

Inside the building was nothing short of organized chaos. Wolves were hard at work mending weapons, some mending armor while others assisted the injured. Many spotted the dog demon and began to mutter among themselves. Near the center of the activity Koki was crouched beside one of the injured wolves. Talking to the poor creature as a medic worked fervently to stem the blood loss from a serious wound. When the sounds of a disturbance drew her attention to the oncoming dog demon. "Hmph! Come crawling back already? Did you lose that half-breed or something?"

Beside her Nodu, the packs biggest wolf, didn't share his alpha's confidence. The waves of demonic energy rolling off the dog were impossible to ignore and every fiber of his instinct told him to be on guard. Stepping beside Koki in a silent threat not to come to close, he gave a guttural sounding growl to the approaching demon. Who far too easily ignored.

"My son is off to accomplish more on his own than the blood shed of half your pack ever could!" Raw emotion was influencing his words, normally he would not fall pray to hollow taunts so easily. However this time he was on a mission and not really interested in maintaining a cool head, as his demonic aura slowly overpowered the crystal.

He wasn't the only one to react emotionally however, Koki's face turned a slightly redder shade in her own rising fury. " Oh really? What prey tell could he be doing while my people fight on the front lines?"

"You are forcing your people to fight a useless and suicidal battle! A force this size is only a fraction of the numbers the Dark queen will have in a few hours! I've informed you of this before! Anything that touches that black sludge will become a monster themselves shortly after death!" Noticing movement in the corner of his eyes, his glare flicked over to Nodu as the large wolf stepped closer out of concern for his leader.

The moment he was caught in the old demon's sights however, he froze mid step. Nodu may have been nearly eight feet tall, but the Daiyoukai was not really looking up at him by much. Even then it wasn't the demons uncommonly tall stature that unnerved the other wise boorish wolf demon. It was the intense aura surrounding him and the equally intense look in those molten gold eyes.

This scene though, was completely ignored by the Alpha female who was quick to continue the argument. "Do I look blind to you? Haven't you seen the evidence on your way here you miserable dog!? Those monsters lay dead in the streets! My people did not fight a useless battle, they won part of this war!" Balling her fists Koki stalked closer, only then noticing the sudden change in his appearance as the crystal was overwhelmed with youki. "Well well, looks like you show your true colors now. You expect people to believe what you say when you hide your own secrets!"

"Unbelievable," He nearly spat as the woman dared close the gap between them, narrowing his eyes. His temper getting the better of him more every moment. "This slaughter was all over your spite of me? You foolish, wretched, egotistical bitch!"

Incited and furious Koki reached for her weapon, a three sectioned staff known as a sansetsukon. Baring her fangs as she began to wind the weapon up. "Don't you dare call me a female of YOUR worthless kind!" She couldn't follow through with her threat however as Nodu quickly put himself between them. His fist raised to pound the insulting demon for attacking his alpha.

The next thing Nodu knew he was flying through the air, crashing through one wall after another before coming to rest partially embedded into the side of a building across the street. The poor wolf had not even realizing he'd been hit until the stars cluttering his vision wore off a few moments later. Inside the hollowed out store front the remaining pack stared on in awe, no one else saw the incoming blow. They simply knew that the Daiyoukai had done it by the fact that he was still holding that position after executing the uppercut. Fist held in the air and his glare focused on the wolf-shaped hole in the wall.

Even Koki looked on with an expression of shock, anger and horror jumbled on her face. Though she was frozen where she stood, her eyes rolling to the youkai that just turned the pack's biggest member into a rag doll. Gripping her weapon tightly in her hands she slowly turned towards the dog. When their eyes met the challenge was silently set, both slowly turned to face one another. Each watching the other for sudden moves, when out of nowhere a voice rose above the rooms din. By either a blessing or misfortune it was enough to interrupt their impending fight as both their eyes turned onto a rather scrawny and exhausted looking wolf.

A young boy that looked around thirteen or fourteen pushed his way through the crowd, his tongue lagging as he panted. Though managed to waves his arms to get Koki's attention, oblivious of what was going on as he ran up to her. Wheezing out between his words. "Ran…as…fast…as…I …could! More…monsters!"

The Daiyoukai settled back and watched on as Koki sunk to a knee and rested a hand on the youths shoulder. " Calm down a minute and catch your breath. How many more did you see? "

The young wolf finally noticed the dog demon and stared at him in bewilderment for a moment until Koki shook his shoulder and snapped his attention back to her. " I stopped counting at a hundred! "

"Over a hundred." Koki whispered softly as she gazed over her remaining pack. Off the top of her head she guessed only 60 or 65 wolves were capable of still fighting. The odds were not in their favor, with a stern look she slowly rose back to her feet. "Get all the fighting fit assembled, we'll head back out to the street and build a defense at once."

"Impossible. Woman you do not have the numbers to face this wave of monsters!" Turning from the alpha he gazed over the pack to take a rough head count, his expression turning to one of dismay.

"Do not think you can lecture me dog!" She snapped at him in a cold fury that sent a shiver through the young scouts body.

"You truly wish to lead your people to their death!? I saw how many wolves died in the streets!" He opened his mouth to snarl at her again though stopped, thinking better of it.

A realization coming to light in that very moment. One that made his anger fizzle away like the morning sun burns away fog. Deep within he scolded himself for not seeing this sooner, his eyes locked on Koki as he studied her carefully. The reality sinking in, ever so slowly.

Koki did not lead per people to fight a losing battle out of spite! She did not know how to lead them into battle at all! She was simply inexperienced, having no doubt never seeing anything like this before. What wars did any youkai fight in these times? This pack as more than likely not seen combat for generations. Folding his arms over his chest he drew a deep breath and finished claiming himself. Answering her at last after several minutes in a softer tone. "There is another way."

"HA!" Her huge smile and loud laugh absolutely dripped with sarcasm as she propped her hands on her hips. Shaking her head as the sarcasm continued. "Well, lets hear this other way then!"

Golden eyes turned to her then as a smile slowly crept over his face. " I need to know which of your pack are the fastest runners."

"If you are suggesting that we flee-" Her hissing words came to an abrupt stop at his raised hand.

After giving her a moment to compose herself the youkai continued. " I ask because I need wolves that can outrun those monsters. We must lead them into the streets of the old battle field." Raising that hand again to stop her as she tried to snap a comment. " When I passed that battle field I noticed that many of the concrete buildings are leaning dangerously. One good blow and they will collapse into the street."

Rocking back on her heels Koki's anger subsided some as she thought about his plan. "You mean to lure those things into a trap then?"

The smile on his face grew a bit more as he tilted his head. "I need runners to lure the monsters in and strong fighters to keep them corralled until the trap can be sprung. You look like you can be quite quick on your feet, perhaps you should lead the runners in. Leave springing the trap to me."

Turning away from him a moment she gave the whole idea some thought, keeping him in the corner of her eye. Her wolves were too few for another full on assault but she didn't like how interested the dog was in helping them. How could she trust him? Biting her lip she gazed out at all the faces of her people, all looking back at her bravely. All looking ready to walk right into hell if they had to for her. Proud people, loyal people, all of whom depended on her for their survival. She gazed back at all the eyes watching her and softly drew a breath.

"I need the absolute fastest of the pack to follow me. Nodu, I need you to choose the best fighters to-" Pausing a moment she looked over at the hole in the wall and made a face. "Could someone please pull Nodu out of there and tell him what he needs to do?" Turning back to the dog then she gave a snort. " Look, I am only doing this because I want to see my people to live to see the end of this. I still don't trust you!"

That smile held on the youkai's face as he nodded, his gaze drifting to the wall as a few pack members helped Nodu get back to his feet. "If you wish for your people to survive you must not let them stay here, this building is not defensible." His gaze dropped to the youth then as he asked. "You have scouted the area once already, I ask that you do it again and find a better place to bring the wounded."

The young wolf looked between the dog and his alpha, catching her nod before he did a little Salute before running off! "I'm on it!"

So were the rest of the pack, all around them activity exploded. Wolves were organizing themselves, some delegating who would remain with the wounded and who would fight. While others gathered their weapons and started out of the building. Koki was quick to hand pick two other wolves to follow her. One was a young female with her red hair done up in pigtails. While the other was a slender looking male sporting a mowhawk for a hair cut.

Tucking the sansetsukon into the back of her belt she waved to the two wolves and started out of the building. Though not before she stopped to speak privately with the still woozy looking Nodu, shooting the dog a nasty look before she finished.

Either way he was too surprised to care about her dirty looks. Standing in the center of the pack he watched with amazement as they quickly divided into ranks. Soon a group of twenty strong looking wolves approached him. Nodu shaking off the last of the stars as he grunted. " We're here."

Taking a few minutes, he looked over each and every one of the fighters that would be joining him. Youkai were known to be rather fit looking creatures in their time, but these wolves showed signs of softening due to modern conveniences. They were definitely not top fighters nor first picks to accompany him into a battle. But beggars could not be choosers, he would have to work with what he had. "Very well then, I will meet you outside in a moment."

Not a single one of the twenty looked like they were in a particular hurry to leave. Weather they were doubt full of him or they just didn't like taking orders from someone who was not their alpha was hard to tell. Though he didn't let it get to him as he watched the group file outside, turning his attention to the remaining wolves. "As soon as the scout returns I ask you all to evacuate this place as quickly as you can."

Unlike the other wolves who were reluctant to acknowledge him, the remaining pack didn't bother giving him even the slightest of looks. One or two sounded like they might have graced him with an answer, but the words were to incoherent for him to be sure. A sweat drop rolled down as he gave a soft sigh.

This was not going to be easy.

TBC


	33. The Unexpected

Authors Note: My apologies. I know this chapter is terribly late! Much of the reason why was due to the fact that I continued to think up content for the next chapter while trying to work on this one. Thus I can safely say that you can expect chapter 34 to be out soon! I want to thank my readers again for being patient with me!

Chapter 33 - The Unexpected.

The winds were unnaturally cold for this time of year as they swept through the skeletal remains of buildings and twisted ruins. Clouds of dust blew through the streets, carrying the stench of death along with them as they swept along and washing over the hanyou's face; causing him to sneeze! Grumbling under his breath he wiped his nose on the back of his hand. "The scent of the dead is stronger than the smell of living people. I bet they all either evacuated or are rotting corpses right now."

Lowering his arm the boy cast his gaze over the city, the gravity of his own words coming back to haunt him in record time. Crouching down at the corner of the crumbling roof top he silently brooded over how bad their situation was. It was a small group of youkai vs. a vast army of reanimated dead beasts. The odds were not looking well for them and they would only sink further if they were unsuccessful in their mission here. With a soft sigh he turned a little on the ball of his foot to call to his wife. "I don't suppose you can make out anything?"

Just behind him Kagome was carefully making her way along the edge of the roof. Holding out her arms for balance as her eyes wandered over to the destruction. "You know, I couldn't tell you how many undead things were crawling around Tokyo if I tried...Not really sure I want to know anyway." The city was in shambles and for a moment she humored herself with guessing how much the repair bill would cost for it all. But she didn't idle on it long as she considered Inuyasha's request.

"You know I can't pin point anything. My aura sense does have it's limitations." With the gentle reminder said she stopped to focus, feeling the ever present crackle of magic all around. Much like the charge of static electrify before a spark. "It feels like we are near the epicenter of something. But from up here it's oddly weak, like the power is radiating from below us?"

Her eyes fixed onto the street far below and Inuyasha soon understood. The power source was somewhere below ground. However getting down there was not going to be an easy task, not while necrotic monsters roamed the streets. In fact he wondered how they could get below ground in the first place? He'd seen pools of black goo bubbling from below, though it was through a storm drain or something similar. It was far too small for them to squeeze through. Not that he would have wanted to risk contact with the goo to squeeze through them anyway.

Kagome's hand reached over to his sleeve, giving it a tug to get his attention. The grim look on her face told him that she'd found something and following her gaze he could see why she made that face. Down on a street where monsters prowled in their search for fresh blood was their answer.

A manhole cover lay buckled and warped on the broken street below, the sewer entrance itself gouged open enough to allow one of those gruesome monsters to squeeze out. The tar around it was slimy and disgusting, proof that this was a well used exit and made it look all the more promising as a lead. The target was set and he reached both arms behind himself, helping Kagome as she climbed up onto his back. "Looks good enough for me, lets go before one of those things find us up here."

Gripping tightly to his shoulders Kagome looked over Inuyasha's head and traced the path below them that she felt Inuytasha would take. There were a few Necrotic monsters around who were already alerted to their presence. Their cries of hunger making her cringe. Despite having heard them many times before, they still managed to make her skin crawl. "We'd better hurry."

The sight of the monsters though failed to distract Inuyasha as he pitched forward and kicked off the roofs edge. Boldly taking the free fall straight down towards the street. Drawing upon his own limited youki at the last possible moment. Slowing their decent with a cushion of demonic energy, so they could land lightly on the ground without so much as bump in the ride.

As smooth a landing as that was however, it was witnessed by at least two more monsters. Knowing full well that they would be overcome within seconds, the hanyou took off at a swift pace. His bare feet pounding over the broken concrete and asphalt as he navigated the debris strewn streets. Furry ears flicked back as the sounds of claws scraping echoed behind them. He didn't need to look back to know that something was quickly gaining on them, so he decided to make things difficult.

Changing direction abruptly, he dove and weaved around wreckage and slabs of sundered earth. He was unable to suppress the smirk when at least one of the beasts slammed into the obstacles, while others stumbled or became trapped, thus lessening their pursuit and buying him some time to escape; though not nearly as much as he hoped. Bounding over a car he saw a dark shadow in the corner of his eye and only a desperate summersault could save him from the oncoming beasts claws! Sailing over the create he kicked off the Necro-monster's greasy looking back!

The moment he lay eyes on the manhole cover he dove for it, a clawed hand reaching out to snatch the warped metal disk as he passed. Raising it above his head as he sped through the gouged manhole feet first, wedging the steel cover tightly in the opening behind them. A mere second before a paw thrust past it! It's claws scraping at the walls, looking for its prey. The boy came down to the sewer floor with a splash! His eyes darting immediately back up, breathing a soft sigh of relief as the cover held. Blocking the path of the large monster behind it.

As the adrenalin of the chase ebbed from his veins, the hanyou became more aware of everything around him. From the horrible reek that caused him to cringe to the disgusting feeling of slime beneath his feet and water lapping at his ankles. On his back Kagome covered her nose and mouth as she fought back a moment of nausea from the sudden impact of the stench! "Un! This is horrible! I feel bad for your dog nose right now, Inuyasha."

"I do too." The boy grunted and momentarily considered plugging his nose. After all with a smell this strong it rendered that sense nearly useless. However he settled with just pinching the offended appendage shut instead as he started down the sewer tunnel. Thankful that at least there were signs that his other senses could pick up. The walls were lined with cracks, many of them oozing thin trickles of black goo. Along with claw marks raked through the brick lining and the occasional body part. A morbid trail for them to follow towards what he hoped was their goal.

While Inuyasha tracked the visible signs, Kagome focused on the intangible. Letting her aura sense spread out around them. Searching for any sign of that power source they were so eagerly tracking. On the surface she was constantly bombarded with a magical presence. Down here she expected that presence to feel much stronger now that they were potentially closer to it's source.

Yet she barely sensed anything.

In fact the power itself felt very faint and far off. Leaving her confused and wondering how this could be possible? Straightening her self up on Inuyasha's back she held out her hand and conjured a small orb of light in her palm. It's soft white glow illuminating their way, though it cast eerie shadows in it's wake. Holding the light up high Kagome searched the sewer around them for any clues as to what could possibly hide that much power.

Meanwhile Inuyasha, who was unable to feel much of magical energy himself anyway, kept a look out for monsters lurking in the tunnels. While following tracks in the filth and muck that gave him a good general idea of where the creatures were coming from. However much like the streets above them, the sewers below were broken, some tunnels were caved in, others were gradually flooding, all of which was making travel and tracking difficult. Many had rodents or cockroaches scampering about which coupled with the shadows, nipped at his wits.

He silently cursed himself for not having much of a sense for magic, Kagome sometimes was like an antenna and could pick up even small sparks of power. But he on the other hand could only feel strong pulses of demonic energy. Which served him well for most of his life until the population of youkai, many unable to adapt to the human's world, began to vanish and other unsavory creatures took their place. Disadvantaged, he was quite dependent on his other senses, his nose above all. Though with the terrible stench filling the sewers the hanyou's nose was rendered rather useless, leaving him more than a little on edge. Amber orbs darting in the direction of every sound echoing in the sewer tunnels. Though he was not so absorbed that he almost didn't notice Kagome's little frustrations. "What's wrong?"

"I think I made a mistake, the power I sensed outside was much stronger than what I feel down here." Her words echoed softly in the tunnel. Again and again she reached out with her aura sense and each time she barely felt anything, yet she was unconvinced. The power up above was undeniable. Why was it different down here? Holding the orb to light Inuyasha's way she sunk down and thought things over.

"The monsters are definitely coming from underground, I don't think you're wrong there, Kagome." Rarely was her aura sense wrong, in fact Inuyasha could not ever remember it ever misleading them. Though that could just be pride over his mate speaking up there. Nonetheless he pressed on through the tunnel, furry ears twitching to the sounds of scraping somewhere ahead of them. Drawing his attention up and away from the ground, not that he was paying it much heed anyway. He was sloshing through ankle deep waste water, it was bad enough he could smell it and feel it soaking into his hakama. He certainly didn't want to see what he was stepping on. Or past. As pools of black goo began to bubble up through the disgusting water, like oil it spread out over the surface behind the wading pair.

The sounds of scratching continued to echo ahead of them, leading the pair on through increasingly dangerous tunnels. Some walls looked on the verge of collapse after the major quakes, the fear of aftershocks finishing the job weighing heavily on their minds. Another tunnel was filled with beady little eyes that watched them closely as they passed. Casting his own wicked look right back he continued to press on until they reached a bend the tunnel, before it opened into a large cement room, half filled with debris and deeper water.

Inuyasha stepped out onto a broken chunk of wall and looked around them. Several tunnels intersected through and branched off in different directions, though and only a couple looked passable. The sounds of scratching came again, louder than before, causing the hanyou to spin on a heel to face what he thought was an inbound enemy. Instead he faced an over turned tree, it's ash colored branches scratching at the stones with a chilling sound. Breathing a shallow sigh of relief he turned his attention back to the chamber. Here the stench wasn't as bad and his nose caught a fleeting scent of death wafting from one direction. "There must be rain water draining through here. I think I have a scent trail."

Kagome held the little orb of light high as she looked on apprehensively, the fear of becoming lost in this underground maze beginning to nag at her. As Inuyasha slid to the edge of the cement block he was perched on she tightened her grip. Cringing when he landed into the water with a splash, the waste water had mixed with drain run off but it did not really make it less disgusting! Trying to stop herself from shuddering at the thought of it she leaned a little over to one furry ear.

"Inuyasha, maybe we should scratch arrows in the wall to mark which tunnel we came from and which we're going in-oooh! " Something powerful sparked right through her with an intensity that she could only describe as similar to touching a power line! Instantly her body grew rigid as a sudden jolt of intense magic raced through her, overwhelming her aura sense painfully!

The sudden change in her posture grabbed his attention, stepping carefully across a current of fast moving shallow water he looked over his shoulder. "Kagome? What is it?" For those brief moments she could not answer, her eyes were wide and her mouth open but then just as quickly as the power rushed over her, it came to an abrupt stop! Feeling her swooning on his back the hanyou sunk to a knee and quickly drew her into his arms. "Kagome! What happened? Kagome!?"

That same question was running through her head as she came back to her senses, closing her eyes to fight back the ache that went through her head she rubbed at her face. What was that? All she had felt when they entered the sewers was a faint glimmer of power, then out of nowhere it comes out and gives her a right hook! Then it vanishes once more. Taking a breath to calm the remaining jitters she finally answered the worried hanyou. " I don't know, I mean I'm alright but I have no idea what just hit me."

"Something hit you?" Rising to his feet once more he retraced his steps, searching for a sign of anything that had tried to attack them. But all he could find was broken chunks of concrete and water. Nothing that he could see that would reach out and attack them. Without warning though the miko gave a squeak and shivered in his arms.

Again the surge of magic washed over her and again just as quickly as it came it left. Forcing herself to pay attention through the mind numbing pain Kagome searched the surrounding areas . Nothing though seemed to stand out as the cause until she looked down at the water. The floor was flooded under several inches of water, but through one part of the room the water was flowing fast. As if a current cut through only this part of the pooling water while the rest was relatively calm. The idea struck as she gasped softly, "Inuyasha, stop right here!"

Freezing in his tracks and holding perfectly still as it he were playing a game of red light/green light, he cast a curious look at Kagome. Shifting around in his arms she reached a hand out towards the moving current of water cautiously. Only to jump when a spark lit over her finger tips! "Ow!" Cradling her hand to her chest she stared at the strange current. " The magic is there, I couldn't feel it very much when we came down here but that is definitely it moving through the water!" Her eyes followed the current as it cut through the pool. "It's like a power line."

"And I bet it leads to the source!" The hanyou quickly added with a fang baring sneer. It was about time that their luck turned around and he'd not give up this valuable lead! Taking care to leave a safe distance between himself and the current, he took a moment to help his wife climb onto his back once more. His eyes locked on the snaking aquatic trail as it wound into another dark tunnel.

"Be careful Inuyasha, there maybe something...guarding...this..." Her eyes widened as a black tentacle reached out towards them. At it's base was a darkness that rapidly clouded the water. It was from there that several more of those tendrils rose up and reached towards them. Her voice rising to a single word of alarm. "MOVE!"

That one word was all he needed and without looking back the hanyou sprung forward, splashing through the water as he took off in a sprint! Chancing a look behind him only after bounding into the tunnel to see what had frightened his mate. A curse rolling off his tongue at the sight they were leaving in the dust. "What in the hell are those things? They look like the muck oozing through the walls but I didn't think it could attack!" That sudden realization hit him then; 'oozing through the walls'. Abruptly his eyes snapped forward in time to see the incoming tendrils in his path and only a wild dive down onto all fours could save him from being ensnared by the neck!

Even like that however the water and sludge was unforgiving as the boy found out while scrambling along the slippery tunnel floor, desperate to keep his footing. Growling curses with every time he was forced to duck or weave to avoid more of the grappling tentacles. The evil things were numerous and quick to form, lashing out at them relentlessly. Never giving him more than a moment to recover with each narrow escape! Kagome meanwhile clung tightly to his back, wishing she could spark her own purifying power towards the attacking thing but Inuyasha's wild movements made that nearly impossible! Raising a barrier while they were moving at break-neck speed was also impossible. She would not give up however for what she could do was look through his moonbeam white hair at the path ahead through the nightmarish tentacles. "Inuyasha there is a light! I think this tunnel opens up soon!"

It sounded like good news though he had to wonder if there was a bigger trap waiting for them on the other side. Quickly he realized, as another tendril tried to spear him through the leg, that he needed to focus on one issue at a time. Kicking off the tunnel wall he bolted on ahead through the growing obstacle course of dark slime. Racking up a few more narrow misses before it all suddenly...stopped. As if somewhere, somehow he'd stepped over an invisible line, the creatures were simply gone. Although the presence of the dark goo was still everywhere, not one drop tried to go after them.

It was a welcomed break and the boy would have been more grateful for it, if the air around them wasn't heavy with a feeling of foreboding. Slowing his pace down the hanyou searched around them for anything that would hint at a trap. A furry ear twitching a little as he grumbled. " I don't like this, it's suddenly too quiet."

With a spark, Kagome conjured another sphere of her power in her palm. It's soft white light bathing over them as she let her own aura sense unfurl to aid in the search. This time though she was cautious as she was still quite sore from the previous overload. Suffering another right now could render her unconscious. " I sense something ahead of us, a lot of power gathered in one place. Whatever it is, it's waiting for us. "

Ahead of them the tunnel seemed to open up, but not in any way made by man. Part of the wall was blasted right through by the looks of the damage, but the debris one would expect from such a large hole were no where to be found. The floor was perfectly smooth, allowing the water to flow freely through into what looked like a natural cave.

Taking a step over the edge of the broken wall the boy found himself over come with a familiar feeling. It was very faint, almost too faint for him, but Tetsusaiga's soft shiver at his belt caused him to stop and inspect it curiously. Whatever hung in the air the Steel Fang had reacted to it. That little feeling that they were about to get into some serious trouble bubbled in the back of his mind. His amber eyes peering over his shoulder to the miko. "Kagome?"

"I feel it too, Inuyasha." She whispered back softly, her eyes briefly meeting his. They both sensed something oddly familiar about this energy, but she couldn't place it either and that left a little ball of worry sitting in the pit of her stomach. Though for the most part the cave looked rather normal as caves went. The light of the orb in her hand cast some frightening shadows along the floor and some of the nearby rock formations. But nothing seemed too suspicious.

Nothing smelled strange, the only sounds echoing through the cave was that of trickling water and the boys foot steps. After a few minutes of not seeing anything, he began to wonder if they were wrong. That was when found it, a large pool of black goo, easily fifteen feet across and impossible to tell how deep. Inuyasha gazed cautiously around before he sunk to a knee. Letting Kagome slide off his back. "This has to be the source, now we have to figure out how the heck to destroy it."

"Drain it I suppose?" It was the first answer that Kagome could think of as she carefully approached the black pool. Staring down at the mirror like surface as she added. "Maybe we can fill in the pool with stones?"

Practical suggestions, though somehow the hanyou felt that neither would work for them here. He'd seen the black goo oozing through cracks in the walls after all, a few rocks wouldn't make any difference and draining it would just release the goo. Taking a few minutes he silently studied the stuff, it looked so heavy and viscous. Almost like oil. That mad him wonder. " Think it might burn?"

Kagome was already holding a rock above her head, ready to toss it into the pool when he made that suggestion. Slowly lowering the stone she gave the whole thing a little thought. "I don't think I ever saw a fire in the city now that I think about it. Which is strange now that I think about it."

It was their best theory and with that in mind the he began to paw through his voluminous crimson sleeves. Kagome hiding a little amused smile as she watched. There was a running joke about those sleeves, as he often tucked an unbelievable number of items into them. Yet somehow they never fell out when he lowered his arms or even showed through the fire rat fur spun cloth. The clothing already had several magical properties from being of youkai origin. Maybe this was just another ability? The hanyou never really took the time to find out.

Pulling a lighter from his sleeves he quickly spied a broken stick in the rubble and moved off to snatch it up. On a normal occasion he would look for kindling to help start a fire, but he knew they had little time here to back track for such a thing. Thus instead he sunk down to a knee near the pool he carefully dipped one end of the stick into the black goo. Drawing out a sizable glob at the end. Flicking the lighter on, he slowly drew the flame along the shiny dark surface.

Much to his satisfaction, the stuff caught light almost immediately! Much to his surprise however, it also began to recoil and shriek! The sound it made was so shrill and ear splitting, that the hanyou flinched and flattened his ears while Kagome covered hers with her hands. Between them the pool's smooth surface began to ripple in reaction to the new threat.

Gritting his teeth against the painful screams of the goo, the boy raised that flaming stick in the air, preparing to throw it in and ignite the rest of the pool! When another scream tore his attention away. Kagome's terrified cry managed to somehow sound louder than the goo's and for good reason! A necrotic monster had somehow come down on her. Pinning her to the cave floor. But unlike the other monsters roaming the surface, this one looked much different.

It's body was not bloated, in fact the creature shared a resemblance to a young woman with a lithe and shapely form. She also bore no hair, fur or even skin. Her entire body was as shiny and fluid, much like the pool itself! The creatures dark eyes were locked on Kagome at the moment, raising it's hand and spreading out it's fingers . Each digit elongating into wicked claws.

Kagome though was no damsel in distress. Both her hands flew up before her as her own spiritual power gathered within them. Delivering a blast of purifying power that sent the creature staggering back as smoke rose from it's body. Right at that moment the Tetsusaiga tore through her upper torso. The fang skewering the creature from behind, the blade sunk deep yet somehow the weapon was not protruding out of the front of the creature!

In the mayhem Kagome crawled out from under the monster, her eyes wide as she watched Inuyasha struggling to cling to the Tetsusaiga's hilt. The creature was thrashing about, giving a shrill shriek that easily out did the burning goo. Keeping a tight grip on his sword he hung on for the wild ride, twisting himself in mid flight to save him from being smashed into stones or the floor of the cave.

Yet despite the chaos he could not help but notice the dark aura creeping over the Tetsusaiga. As if it were absorbing something from the creature. With a hiss the boy planted a foot against his opponents back and pried the fang free! Tumbling back away to avoid the swipe of it's arm.! The moment he landed on his feet he took the chance to inspect the Tetsusaiga. Half the blade covered in a dark aura that instantly began to vanish as the blades surface briefly scaled. "The hell is this?" He growled as he rose back to his feet, holding the blade out as he shot the creature a vicious glare.

He didn't have a chance to act on his words though. A bright light suddenly flared and the sound of an intense flame roared behind him. Though it was quickly drowned out by terrible screams of agony! Many more shrieks this time that rose into an eardrum splitting chorus. The hanyou looked back in time to see Kagome, clutching the stick in one hand like a torch near the pool of goo that was now engulfed in flames! Looking back at the creature only in time to see her writhe in her own pain. Goo dripping from her as if she were losing the strength to hold that form of her body.

"Kagome!"

Scrambling from his spot on the floor, he quickly ran to Kagome's side as the young miko threw that flaming torch at the creature. Just like before the moment the flames licked at the creature she went up in a blaze! Adding her own blood chilling shriek to the choir of agony. Sheathing the fang at his belt , he scooped Kagome up. "We need to get out of here!"

As the boy spoke the fires were spreading, fueled by the puddles of goo where ever it trickled. Filling the cave with a toxic smoke that burned at their noses and eyes. Wasting not a moment longer the hanyou bolted out that cave as quickly as he could. Leaving everything to the fate of the fires that raged behind him.

Already he could see the effects, the current of water was gone. Kagome seemed unaffected by anything as he raced down the middle of the tunnel. All leading him to believe that the power line of dark magic was severed! That thought bringing a little smile to the hanyou's face. "I think we did it Kagome, lets head back up and find the others."

…..

The silence was eerie. It seemed well out of place in a city block that would have normally been busy with bustling people. Shoppers browsing store fronts, commuters waiting by the bus stop and pedestrians dodging traffic as they crossed the street. It was hard to believe that scene would have played out only a short time ago. After the terrible earthquakes the shops and businesses stood empty, their windows smashed and the bus stop was buried under a twisted pile of light poles that were taken down like trees in a storm. Over turned cars and chunks of concrete littered the streets. Then there were the bodies scattered among the chaotic scene. All mangled or gored horrifically as they lay strewn about in various stages of decay. The sign of a battle field.

Sitting on the hood of a half crushed minivan the old Daiyoukai looked over the scene with sadness in his eyes. He wasn't one to say he enjoyed this modern world, on the contrary he hated these huge buildings of concrete and mourned the lost woodlands buried beneath layers of asphalt and tar. But this was a place where humans had once lived and thrived, now it was reduced to nothing. Yet he was keenly aware of how resilient humans could be and had faith that even this waste land would be returned to it's former glory eventually. A soft rustle to his left drew his attention away from the scene. The scent of wolf making his nose flare before he turned to face his "warriors".

Yes, it was a term he used loosely. Of the twenty wolves he'd been given for this task, not a single one looked like a seasoned fighter. Oh yes they could fight, that he was sure of, but in all honesty they came off like a group of thugs to him. Not true warriors. In truth he wondered if the only fight this lot had ever experienced was in a bar? They were not the most ideal of fighters, but this was the best he could obtain at the moment and he had to work with it. No matter how annoyed they were with him as Nodu, the largest of the wolf demons, never missed a chance to make known.

Or perhaps that frown was a permanent feature on his face? It was hard to tell when he seemed to scowl more fiercely than the other three wolves in his company. Perhaps Nodu simply had more practice at it? Somehow he felt that it had simply frozen on the wolf's face. Suppressing the smirk that tugged at the corner of his mouth the Inu no Taishou rose from his seat. "The rest are in position now, I take it?"

A grunt from Nodu was all the answer he received at first. Now it was the Daiyoukai's turn to frown and flash the wolf a withering glare. It was more than enough to breech Nodu's thin defenses, forcing him to think twice about his attitude. His jaw still ached from just the memory of his last violent encounter with this dog. Granted, even if it gave him plenty of reason not to trust this demon, he wasn't too keen on testing the boundaries of his temper again. " Yes, they are all positioned where you want them to be. We're waiting for the alpha and her pack members to come out of the allies."

Closing his eyes the youkai breathed a soft sigh of relief, it wasn't easy getting this far. At first the wolves were intent on using their own idea to separate the monsters and defeat them in pockets. Which was suicide with so few seasoned warriors, thus once again he had to remind them that they were dealing with. It took some time, but he finally convinced them to drop the suicide mission and follow his orders. Splitting the wolves into three teams, he placed them in different areas to help protect the runners and keep the monsters corralled in the streets while they escaped.

"Very good. You remaining four are the last defense. A living wall to keep those creatures within the trap. I trust you can save your own skins when the buildings begin to come down." His golden eyes gazed at the little group of wolves, the four strongest that he could find in his troop. At least he hoped they were strong enough to keep their enemies within the trap while their comrades fled to safety.

Nodu gave a guttural sound of disapproval and folded his arms over his chest. " Three are going to stay, I'm going with you." The look on the wolf's face along with the posture he held, his lower jaw stuck out and his chest puffed. Told the youkai that he would be in for another bitter and time consuming argument if he protested. More time lost trying to drill a point into that wolves thick skull. In all truth at this point the youkai was just not up for it anymore.

Waving off the wolf he shook his head and decided to take a rain check on this fight. Turning on a heel to start towards one of the building ruins as he called back. "So be it then. Come along if you wish, though be aware that you put your brethren at risk by leaving their side."

"We're all at risk not knowing if you'll stick to your word Dog! They survived the monsters once, they can do it again! But you I want to keep an eye on." Nodu growled as he followed after.

The argument that hung in the air waiting for a spark to ignite was not worth it. That was something he told himself over and over again in an effort to hold the sharp words that sat on the tip of his tongue at bay. Wolf demons were not trusting of strangers, never mind dogs. In all truth he was counting his blessings for getting this far with these stubborn creatures. It was hard to believe how alike they were yet so different.

A few times in his life he found himself wondering what exactly happened to make the two demonic species so bitter of one another? Mortal dogs were descendent from wolves domesticated by stone age humans. Granted dog demons also came about due to humans but not in the same way. Wolves on the other hand were wild through and through. The mortal and the demons.

There were some similarities but then there were the differences. Where a wolf cannot live alone, nor bond with other creatures easily, Dogs were the opposite. Where wolf packs were tight knit tribes consisting of several generations. Dog demons didn't really band together easily. Yes there were families and yes there were followers, but nothing that was akin to the wolves pack mentality. Which lead to the last major difference. A wolf would keep one mate for life. A dog demon however could do whatever he or she pleased as far as that went. Perhaps some of the wolves were jealous of that?

Amusing as that thought was, truthfully he placed full blame on the Canine Politics that applied for both species. When the same rules applied to two very different groups of canines, trouble was a given. A good example was his present situation. As he bound his way up along the side of one building, Nodu was stubbornly staying close behind him. Even though he was already panting from the break neck pace the youkai had set for them. Why? Because in the end he was an intruder in the wolves territory. As silly as it sounded in this day and age, some demons were still very territorial. It didn't help that he was also a dominant personality out of habit and the fact that put their packs alpha in her place just made relations all the worse off.

There was plenty of reason for Nodu to keep to him this close. Especially when his kinsmen's lives were depending on this trap being sprung. According to canine politics the wolves should be trying to kill him and in all honesty he wouldn't be surprised if Nodu was just waiting for the right opportunity to present itself. Meanwhile he had to remind himself to look above such things. As thankless as this whole mission would be, he had to do something to save these fools.

That didn't mean he would make it easy for Nodu! In a show of sheer acrobatic skill he kicked off one partially ruined fire escape, rolling his form into a summersault. Only to land on a window sill and kick off again. Grabbing the edge of the roof top and gracefully vaulting over it. Landing lightly at a three point crouch. While the dust settled he gazed out over the rest of the roof top before him. Nearly the whole thing was caved in with shingles and tile torn free. Leaving only the twisted steel supports were jutting in the air. Exercising care and a good sense of balance he crossed along one of these steel beams, taking in the sight of the city from this high up.

In the distance he could hear the baying of monsters. Crying out in a frenzy for blood as they hunted their prey. No doubt chasing relentlessly after the wolves that were supposed to lead them on into the trap. Silently he hoped that Koki and her troop were fast enough to keep ahead of the deadly beasts. As well as the trap itself. Looking down to the streets below he quietly plotted his line of attack. A well aimed Kaze no kizu directed at the right building would create the perfect domino effect and bring the entire neighborhood down on these monsters.

Behind him the sounds of panting and scraping of boots told him that Nodu had at last caught up. Waiting until he heard the distinctive flop of a body onto the roof top he gave the poor wolf a few minutes to catch his breath. " The monsters are nearly here, I need you to watch for your pack mates. Once I begin to spring the trap there is no way to stop it. Thus I cannot strike until all of the wolves are out of harms way."

"Fah! Mind your own behind Dog, my brothers and sisters will watch out for each other." Nodu snapped back with a snort when he at last could stop wheezing, rolling back to his feet he started towards the ledge the youkai was perched on. Not giving up he made to follow after the old demon, looking quite ungraceful and wobbly as he navigated the steel beams. At one point the youkai feared he was going to fall off! Though after a few tense moments he made it to the edge and eyed the dog with a huff.

Shaking his head a little at the wolf's defiance he let it go at that and gazed out over the city one more. Right on schedule he spotted Koki and her runners, looking relatively uninjured as a wave of easily a hundred monsters swept after them. Just as planned they entered the battle field and just as the youkai feared they were slowed by the ruined terrain and the corpses littered about. Thankfully that part was already taken into consideration as the second phase of the plan started at that moment! In small groups, the supporting wolves emerged from the allies and debris to go in and attack the monsters from the sides.

They were not to try and kill the beasts, only slow the flood down in time to allow the exhausted runners a chance to escape. So far they were keeping to the plan, much to his utter amazement! Watching the second relief springing from the shadows, a smile drew over the old you kai's face. Anticipating the last assault to spring and the wolves withdrawal to begin he reached for one of his wicked swords. Drawing the weapon from his belt and turning his attention then to the buildings across the street.

Holding the dark sword at the ready, he quietly calculated the best zone to focus his strike. Though as he tried to in vision how the buildings may tumble down, the growing sounds of howling and screaming below him made that rather difficult. He forced himself to tune them out, but as the sounds grew even louder he quickly came to realize that something was not right. Once look down to the chair below confirmed his fears.

Koki had doubled back. For whatever reason she was right in the thick of battle with a massive necrotic monster! The beast she faced looked like it had once been a rhino or some other exotic zoo animal. It's horns were long and barbed and it's jaws were filled with ill-fitting but sharp teeth. Despite the terrible opponent , the pack's alpha was holding her own quite well. But, impressive as it was-as long as she was there the rest of the pack would not retreat! "Curse that foolish woman!" The youkai hissed. What in the seven hells possessed her to turn back was beyond him, but now there was only a hand full of wolves against a hundred or more beasts!

Without looking at Nodu, the youkai nimbly ducked down to avoid the huge wolves equally large fist! Having expected him to retaliate to his insult of the alpha, the youkai gave a snort and used the hooked back of his sword to pull a foot out from under the already unbalanced wolf. Throwing him off the rest of the way and causing him cling to the beam for dear life!

Leaving the wolf like that, he wasted no time in leaping clear off the roof top. Spreading out his arms in the first few seconds of free fall. It has been a long time since he'd felt the exhilarating feeling and for a few moments he enjoyed it. As the ground drew near he twisted is form around mid flight and released his own demonic aura straight down. Cushioning his fall as he finally landed down onto the broken street in a three point crouch.

The dust barely settling around him when several monsters turned and attacked in their blood lust. Forcing him to keep moving as he drew his second sword to split the skull of one beast, taking the chance to yell at the pack Alpha. "Why did you turn back!? Your wolves were nearly off the street!"

Koki was barely listening to him, or perhaps she was and just decided to not answer. One reason or the other she kept on her attack with the Rhino-monster. Leaping up onto the creatures back as it roared and bucked wildly. It's huge horns ripping through the remains of a light pole before its dark eyes caught sight of the dog demon. With a hair raising shriek the monster charged for him! Forcing the youkai to dive out of the way or be trampled by those huge hooves.

The beasts momentum though was strong and in it's frenzied desire to tear into the youkai's flesh it twisted it's body around to go after him. Only to trip over it's own legs! Koki leapt off with a yell as the huge creature tumbled over into a pile of ruined vehicles. Scattering them like bowling pins and sending one particularly bright colored car tumbling. It looked like a partially crumpled hatchback, it's metal body covered in logos and colorful decals. It wasn't anything the youkai would have normally paid any attention to, however when the little car finally came to rest a gave of a sudden, deafeningly loud blast of sound!

It was surprising enough to make even him jump a moment and raise a sword at the ready to launch an attack! After a quick look around, he realized the sound blasting from the car had a rhythm and vocals…it was music? Terrible music at that. It had such a loud bass that the car trembled with every drum beat. For a moment he wondered what humans found entertaining with such an audible assault on the ears? Only to scold himself for letting his mind wander, turning back to the battle at hand as he charged for the huge monster.

By now he expected the beast to be back on it's feet and getting ready to attack. By now he hoped Koki had finally gotten out of there. By now he expected to be the only one left on the battle field, perhaps this was how the wolves would try and kill him? However, what he did not expect was to be ignored? Slowing down his pace he stared in awe, the necrotic monsters surrounding him all seemed distracted. Hopping his way up onto the side of an over turned truck he looked over the beasts. Not seeing a single one continuing the fight. Their attentions drawn else where to the point that they began to wander off.

All gathering around that loud little car.

As if that were not strange enough, one monster started to wiggle around, for lack of a better descriptive word. Only to be joined by another beast that swayed back and forth, then more joined in. Leaving the youkai standing there gawking, his sword arms going slack at his sides. Disbelieving what he was witnessing, more and more monsters joined in. Some prancing around, others spinning…all dancing.

All around him the wolves were also witnessing the bizarre scene in awe and wonder. Even Koki scratched at her cheek, unable to come up with words to describe the sudden change of scene. Until her eyes met the dog demon's stern look, knowing well the reason behind it. With a snort she turned and sprinted off, the remaining wolves quickly following after her.

Within a matter of moments the wolves left the scene, leaving him completely alone with the necrotic monsters. The creatures all gathering around that musical car without so much as a look towards anything else. Which allowed the youkai to carry out the next grim task as his leisure. Though as grateful as he was for the sudden shift in their luck, he could not shake the feeling that this was all too familiar. It was a thought he could not stop himself from mulling over as he took his position on the street, holding one of the wicked blades out beside him.

For that one moment he looked over the amazing scene one last time, watching each and every monster as it danced and, dare he say, frolicked about. All to the rhythm of a song blasting from the little hatchback. This perhaps would never sink in, but he committed every last detail to memory anyway, before he swung that blade. The demonic power flaring as the blade cut through the air, before erupting into a wave of destruction. Tearing through everything in it's path as it swept through the streets and hit the base of one badly damaged building.

The whole structure began to creak ominously before it teetered to the side and came down and clipped the bottom of the next building beside it with a similar effect. The youkai had only seconds to turn and run as thousands of tons of concrete rained down over the streets, burying everything beneath it. It caused monsters and all to vanish under the crushing weight.

Being chased by a cloud of dust and small debris the youkai raced his way up the street, leaving the chaos behind him as he spied a few of the wolves waiting ahead. He drew near and slowed down to take stock in the situation, not quite trusting the wolves enough to simply run up to them. Gathered on the side of the road was Koki, Nodu and about four more adult wolves. At their center however was the young wolf that had been sent out as a scout. He looked happy as he chattered something to the pack alpha in an excited voice. The youkai only catching the tail end of the conversation as he approached.

"….and it's a huge place with running water and generators outside! It's kinda a distance from here but the pack is already on their way with the injured." The scout prattled on for a few more moments about some luxuries he'd found at what the youkai supposed was their new headquarters in this battle. But as he approached he immediately noticed something in the air. A faint scent that he certainly did not expect.

"I assume the young one has found a place for everyone to gather?" It was a redundant question but he needed to be sure. Breaking off from her conversation with the scout, Koki turned to answer the dog. Her words stumbling a moment as she quickly noticed the puzzled look on the old demon's face. However she was not sure she wanted to ask just yet.

"Yes. There is a large house due north of here that has everything we'll need. So come along then, we need to discuss a plan to find and defeat this 'Dark Queen.'" Without another word Koki waved to her hand to signal the remaining wolves. The group began filing away behind their departing alpha, leaving the old Daiyoukai to stand there a moment to look on and wonder.

Wonder why that young wolf scout carried with him the scent of his eldest son.

Chapter 33 - End.


	34. Of One's Past

Chapter 34 - Of One's Past.

At the very edge of the city stood a small area that had somehow managed to resist the flow of time. Here ancient trees towered high into the air, their long branches swaying gently in the warm breeze. Hidden within this remaining scrap of ancient forest was a small complex of four traditional looking buildings. Each one connected to the other by a series of sheltered board walks that crossed beautiful gardens and fish ponds. All leading to the main house at it's heart. A grand looking structure with sprawling decks and ornate wood work. All looking almost entirely untouched by time, though they did not survive the series of earthquakes completely unscathed. As cracks ran through stone walls and clay roofing tiles lay broken on the ground.

The Old Daiyoukai stood quietly in the front courtyard of the main building. The wolves that he'd been traveling with having already dispersed among the four houses, leaving him alone for the time being to sort through his thoughts and emotions. However, each time he tried to think of it, his thoughts drifted to his recent and quite terrible memories. Clearing his head with a little sigh he let his eyes wander once more to the main house which looked virtually unchanged since it was first built.

Though after a few moments of studying, he began to notice the modern conveniences hidden among the traditional wood and claw work. From the security camera's and outdoor lighting, to the "Beware of Dog!" sign hung on the tori gate in the front of the court yard. Everyone carefully camouflaged into their surroundings and invisible to the casual observer. All and all it was an amazing place, something even he could easily call home. Thus he wasn't too surprised that his eldest son felt the same way.

It was this scent that stopped him in his tracks the moment he arrived here. The scout he'd sent to find it did a good job, as the area was secluded and the buildings separated from the forest by a stone wall. Easily defensible. However, the scent of his eldest son was everywhere. Leaving the youkai without a doubt that he'd stumbled upon Sesshoumaru's home.

How wise was it to be here? Granted the building was empty when they had arrived, there was a mandatory evacuation declared over the entire city after all. The occupants obviously followed it, but that did not mean they would not come back. Never mind the fact that his son was quite notorious for disregarding warnings. There was always the risk that his eldest would return home at any time. Though even if he did honor the evacuation request that did not mean the Inu no Taishou would be safe.

In quick time Sesshoumaru would learn of his visit and more than likely not be too thrilled about it. What was worse, the discovery could come with terrible consequences, as with the right demonic connections he could be tracked all the way back to China! Giving a soft sigh he closed his eyes a moment and thought back to that snowy night in Russia, when he had met his boy for the first time in hundreds of years.

The venom in his eldest son's furious words still haunted him. So bitter, so filled with hate and a promise of a torturous death. Words that crippled him for months and only recently had he managed to purge them from his thoughts. For this reason he tried not to think about it further, shaking his head a little as he tried to stop. Now was not the time to sink into another depression! Rubbing his face with a clawed hand he gave a weary sigh before looking around him. Seeking out anything that could provide him with a distraction right now. Closing his eyes after a few futile moments of searching.

"HEY Old Man!"

There we go.

With a dark brow twitching he hurriedly tucked those terrible memories away. Opening his eyes then to gaze at his youngest son, who was standing in the door way with no more than a bath robe on. Inuyasha and Kagome had arrived shortly after the wolves had, as the hanyou having tracked their scent here. Though how he managed it while they both reeked like a sewer rats was quite a feat. The stench rolling off was so bad that the pair were immediately ushered into the bathroom by the wolves the moment they arrived! Granted now the hanyou smelled much better and he was thankful for that. But did he really need to prance around in a thin bath robe? Shaking his head a little he averted his eyes. "Have you no sense of shame Inuyasha? Should you really come outside dressed in such flimsy garb?"

"Feh, like I give a care." As if to make a point he shook himself off in a doggish fashion. Damp moonbeam white hair whipping around him only to fall into a messy tangled mop on his head! From the waist down his red and silver Yukata was closed up tightly enough but the top of the garment stood open, baring his chest unabashed. Eying his father he idly scratched at his belly. "Better question is, why the heck are you still out here?"

He flinched. That was the all important question. Why was he still out here? Why did he linger behind when the rest went inside and proceeded to make themselves at home? How could he answer his son when he was unsuccessful in finding an answer for it himself? Or perhaps he was wrong and the answer was always there, staring at him right in the face. Waiting to be noticed and accepted. Licking his dried lips he drew a breath finally after a few long moments he answered. "Perhaps because I feel a little out of place here."

It was Inuyasha's turn now to arch a brow, flashing his father a brief look of confusion. "You know, Sesshoumaru's house isn't such a bad place really. Come in, we got a lot to talk about."

"Ah..? No no! I have no issue with the house itself." Giving a laugh that sounded a bit more forced than he'd intended, he scratched the back of his head and flashed his son an apologetic smile.

"Then get in here." Inuyasha practically barked as he eyed the old Daiyoukai curiously. There were so many questions that popped into his head whenever he looked at his father. So many things he wanted to hear from him. Yet their current situation was so desperate at the moment that it left no time for talk about personal lives. Leaving the hanyou more than a little frustrated. Of which was plain to see on his face even from the old youkai's distance.

With a little sigh he relented and followed along at his son's request, though he could not shake off the unwelcoming feeling that shadowed his heart. Doing his best to ignore it he stepped past his youngest son and through the door. Inside the house was rather cozy in a traditional way. Although it did have modern amenities, they were carefully blended into the house's old world charm. Electrical lights were dressed up as oil lanterns. A coat closet was built into the wall with a bamboo sliding panel for a door and the floors were polished till they shined. Once more he was touched by how homely the house was, considering it was a stones throw away from one of the biggest cities in the land. "It amazes me how well Sesshoumaru has adapted to living among humans."

Shutting the front door Inuyasha quickly caught with him, padded along side while flashing his father a side long look. " Actually you're kinda wrong there. He's adapted, but not as well as you think." At his father's questioning look he smirked before pushing ahead of him, calmly answering the old demon's unspoken question. " This isn't his house actually, it belongs to the Fuwa family that he took in years ago. He's basically a _Shisa_ now."

That bit of information nearly caused the youkai to trip! Though somehow he managed to keep himself stead as he stared at his son in surprise. Questions spinning in his mind, a _Shisa_? Did he hear that right? His eldest son was a house guardian? A guard dog? What had happened to him? Before he could ask anything further however, Inuyasha cut their conversation short when he opened an ornate sliding door and made his way in. The room was large with a polished kneel to table in the center. Seated at the head of the table was the Alpha of the wolf demons, along with a freshly washed Kagome dressed in a colorful yukata.

The Alpha didn't bother to spare either of the dogs a look as they joined them at the table. She was too absorbed in Kagome's side of the story, speaking as much to herself as to the others. "So these power sources are scattered around the city, feeding that vortex. Do we know where these remaining power sources are? How many more do we need to knock out?"

Kagome drummed her fingers on the table in thought. " I have a general idea. But no exact location that I can point out to anyone. The power streaming from these black pools are channeled like a power line. What's worse, is that it's hard to detect it unless you are directly on top of one. As far as how many there are," She paused there and looked to the old youkai. " Would you know?"

"Power line?" Mumbling to himself he folded his arms over his chest, his gaze wandering from the miko to the table as he concentrated on his thoughts. "No, not a power line. More like a vein of power. But then wouldn't that mean...?" He thought about the rest silently, unaware of the others leaning on the table and staring at him expectantly. A vein of power, if he was right about this, then what did that make the Dark Queen?

As the minutes ticked by in silence Inuyasha's patience grew thin, propping his elbow on the table he kept his eyes glued onto the old demon. Tapping a claw irritably as he waited. After a few more minutes he growled in an effort to get his fathers attention. "Hey, if you know something then say it Old Man!"

The boy's snap brought the demon back from his cloud of thoughts. Staring a moment at them he realized then that they were all waiting on him. " Oh! Yes, my apologies, I was considering all the findings. If what you describe is correct then what we are dealing with is a vein of power. A very rare thing in this day and age."

Kagome reached a hand out to touch Inuyasha's arm before he could snap at the demon again. Leaning a little to the side to get a better look at the Daiyoukai she flashed him a curious look. "You said it before, but I've never heard of anything like this, can you explain?"

Catching Kagome's look he gave a little nod and turned his attention back to the rest of the table. "Much like metal ores, veins of power run through the earth. As Kagome has explained they are difficult to detect unless you are in tune with them or you possess special tools to locate them. However these sources of power are by nature very weak and that is where I am confused."

"That vein I touched had a lot of power in it." Kagome's brow creased a little in thought, now seeing what was bothering the youkai. If this was true then whatever they were dealing with not only knew how to find these veins, it knew how to charged them with dark power.

Closing his eyes a moment he thought hard about the clues presented. "The dancing Necromatic monsters, the veins of power leading to that vortex, the old necromancy. It all pointed in different directions, some of the details make this dark queen sound like a fae, other details make her sound like a youkai. I'm sorry to say but I fear this maybe beyond even my knowledge."

"Wonderful." Koki gave a grunt and pounded the table top with her fist. "So much for this dog being of much help." Giving a sad little laugh she rose from her seat and turned her back on the group. "I need to return to the pack. I've had enough with these dogs."

Kagome turned and opened her mouth to protest, but this time it was Inuyasha that reached over to stop her. Shaking his head a little he watched the alpha stormed out of the room in a huff. When the door finally closed he raised his arms to stretch out and breathed a huge sigh of relief. "Good riddance! Koki can be an uptight bitch whenever she doesn't like something."

Giving a soft chuckle at his son's remark he found himself agreeing, even if it was rude of him to have put it that way. "She has a difficult job as an alpha doesn't she?" In the end he couldn't really blame Koki, she had many individuals looking up to her for guidance and protection. She could not be making decisions biased on theories and speculations. Which was all they had right now in concern to the Dark Queen.

Kagome folded her hands in her lap and smiled at Inuyasha's antics a moment. " One of three jobs for her. Koki is co-owner of Iris's Noodles and she works for Tokyo's Ministry of Land Management. She only became an Alpha to the Eastern Wolf Pack only a few months ago."

"She has quite a full plate then." He commented softly, connecting all the pieces together in his head. No wonder Koki made such terrible mistakes, she'd not held the position as alpha long enough to know better. Though there was only so much of her behavior that he could chalk up to inexperience. As much as he'd love to pick that apart however he refrained, they did have more urgent matters. "Perhaps we should return our attention back to the issue at hand."

Inuyasha rocked back on his cushion a little in thought. " Maybe we should go to Hitorii's library? He packs all the rare books here, maybe he has something on this Dark Queen?"

That suddenly piqued his interest, but it also brought with it a little worry. Who knew what his grand son's opinion of him was now considering what he'd witnessed? Clearing his throat a little he decided to ask. "Hitorii lives here as well? I have not picked up his scent when I entered."

Kagome was rising to her feet with a smile to Inuyasha, thinking the library was a good idea though she had to stop a moment to answer the old demon. "Well he doesn't stay here often, he has his own place farther north of the city. But he keeps one of his many libraries here under his fathers guard."

It was a potential stroke of luck really, he'd only met his grand son Hitorii a few times. Thus he sadly knew little about him, except for the fact that he was a brilliant boy who collected books by the hundreds. Many were old tomes that have not seen the light of day in centuries. If one of his collections were here then they indeed had an important source of knowledge! Rising from his cushion he followed along behind his son and the young Miko. His thoughts trailing somewhat to his eldest once more. The earlier conversation he'd shared with Inuyasha coming back to mind. "This could be a bad time to ask, though I am quite curious. Inuyasha, you had mentioned that your brother was a _Shisa_ to this house hold?"

Taking a moment to hold the door open for the other two the hanyou spared his father a knowing look. "Yeah, believe it or not he's played guard dog to this family for several generations. Though only the heads of the Fuwa family live here and know about him. The rest of the clan has no clue."

Believing it, he almost could not. The Sesshoumaru he always remembered had one desire, to walk the path of supreme conquest. It was hard for him to wrap his mind around the fact that somewhere along the way, he'd stepped off that path and ended up here. A _Shisa_ was much like a Koma inu, however instead of guarding a shrine, a _Shisa_ protected a home and it's family from evil spirits. Or simply evil in general as Sesshoumaru was a dog demon that could easily deal with just about any kind of evil hearted creature. Shaking his head a little the old demon gave a chuckle. "Amazing, it's good to see he has fared well in his hundreds of years of existence. Are there by chance any tails you can pass onto me of his time?"

The walk to their destination was a quick one, they only needed to head through the hall to another door. Where this time Kagome pulled it open despite her husbands annoyed look. An annoyance he briefly took out on his father as he cast a single word over his shoulder. "No."

The snap in that single word took him back a little, a dark brow arching at his son. Though any feeling he had from the brief snap was lost when he finally got a look at the Library itself. The room was rather spacious with book shelves lining the walls, each filled to the brim with texts and scrolls. In the center was a beautifully lacquered table surrounded by several plush cushions.

Kagome elbowed Inuyasha in the ribs and shot him a stern look. " That's no way to talk to your father." Before she gave an apologetic looked back to the old demon. " He didn't mean it in a bad way, it's just that we really do not have anything to offer."

Inuyasha rubbed at ribs a moment and gave a huff as the old demon laughed at their little scene. Feeling better about it, he made his way to one of the shelves in act of shrugging off the incident. "It is alright, no offence taken. Though I assume I should not be too surprised, Sesshoumaru is not one that would sit for tea and talk to you about anything in particular. " With a smile he pulled a promising looking book off the shelf and being quite mindful of the cracked spine, carefully opened it.

Inuyasha merely shook his head and turned to the task of searching the shelves of books lining the walls. Every book carefully placed and arranged in order, evidence of how immaculately each volume was cared for by their owner. "Kagome and I really don't hear much on Sesshoumaru. He's been secretive about his private life since I've known him. If he told you anything, it was because you were involved somehow and usually that wasn't a good thing."

Reaching out he carefully plucked a book off the shelf, although the hanyou was barely literate, some of the gold leaf writing on the binding caught his eye. He leafed through the volume as he answered. "First time we saw something strange involving him was the day we met a little girl named Rin. She had just narrowly escaped loosing her head to an evil demons schemes thanks to him. She thanked us and ran off after Sesshoumaru, we swore he was going to shoo her away but he kept on walking with her."

The old youkai looked up from his book reading to arch a brow at this odd detail. Somehow deep inside he was not too surprised that Sesshoumaru would allow a human to accompany him. After all he'd dealt with many humans in his time despite his detest of them. Though the fact he'd taken a child was maybe a little unsettling to him. "Were did she come from? More importantly when was this? "

A stack of books came down on the desk across from him then, Kagome giving a little sigh of relief before sinking into her seat. " Feudal Era. From what we learned later on, Rin was an orphan when she first met Sesshoumaru. She was also mute and injured. No one knows why he did it, but Sesshoumaru gave quite a few hints that he had unofficially adopted her." Inuyasha slid another seat beside her then and took the moment to lean in and nuzzle her cheek. Kagome pausing her story for the little moment of affection before continuing. " Some time later Sesshoumaru decided that the best place for Rin was with other humans. So he left her in our village to be tutored by the old priestess who lived there. But he would visit regularly and provide everything she needed. From clothing to food. He also lurked about in the forest around the village, chasing off any threatening youkai caught wandering there."

"Feh! Like he needed to! I was there and he knew it, the jerk just wanted to one-up me every chance he got." The bite in his tone was hard to miss and Kagome smiled a little as she rested her hand on his arm. Rolling his eyes, Inuyasha set the book he had in his hands down. "I didn't envy the guy though when Rin was old enough to court. Rumors spread through the land of a 'Beautiful Maiden raised by a demon' and lots of adventurous men started showing up asking for her. Sesshoumaru had his hands full chasing those idiots off, but a few were hell bent on finding Rin and tried to sneak into the village. Some sent messages to tried to meet her in the forest and some even put a bounty on his head! Lucky for him we were friends with the Taijiya and were alerted to it after they'd gotten a flood of requests to slay a demon that was holding a maiden hostage." The sneer on Inuyasha's face caused the old demon to choke back a laugh. Obviously he found his brothers struggles to raise a teenage girl amusing.

Clapping a hand over his mouth to cover his smile he slowly shook his head. The information was still sinking in and perhaps maybe once did he consider that they were talking about someone else. Such a thing was quite unlike his character, yet the more he thought on it the more it began to made sense. His eldest had specific reasons for detesting humans, viewing them as stupid and narcissistic among other things.

But a child on the other hand was innocent of such things, if Rin was young enough when they first met, there was a chance that Sesshoumaru felt she would learn to be better than her fellow humans. He wouldn't credit his son with outright adopting the child however, more than likely she grew on him as time went on. Sparking a desire to protect her, instinct following right after. None the less he felt both a sense of pride for his eldest and a bit of concern about that last piece of information about the demon hunters. "I hope things remained civil."

"The head of the Taijiya at the time was a young man named Kohaku who had personally traveled with Sesshoumaru for a while when he was younger. So he made sure all the contracts were turned down." A bright smile drew over Kagome's face as she clapped her hands together, a starry shimmer in her eyes. "He also had an interest in Rin, but was scared to tell her for the longest time."

"He finally did say something after we kicked his butt! Kohaku met with her in the old miko's home and popped the question to her." Inuyasha added, not nearly as amused as Kagome beside him. His eyes rolled back to the book open in front of him without missing a beat. "Sesshoumaru seemed like he was expecting it too, he was even at their wedding. It was kinda odd, he was quieter than usual, he almost looked sad."

One dark brow arched followed by the other, the amazement never ceased and again he found himself wondering if they were really talking about his eldest here. A human girl and a Taijiya? His gaze drifted to the book in front of him, the search for the information they desperately needed suddenly becoming a little less urgent. After all the opportunity to learn a little more about his boys was one he never wanted to pass up. With a little smile he eased back on his cushion. "He was giving away his Daughter. I could see why that would bring a little sadness."

"He disappeared soon after the wedding," Inuyasha interrupted his fathers proud moment to continue the story. " Even Rin had no idea where he went. Years passed by and not a word from anywhere, human or demon. Like he disappeared off the face of the earth. Then came one really bad winter for the Taijiya. A local warlord claimed that he owned the land the Taijiya village was on and he demanded that their warriors to fight for him. " Inuyasha said with a frown as he looked up from his book, recalling that terrible time.

" Kohaku refused, he didn't want his men shedding human blood. The Warlord responded by surrounding the village with two hundred solders and digging down for a siege. At the time we weren't aware of it, winter is slow for demon hunting and we only hear from Kohaku when he needs help with a really dangerous contract. So not hearing from him for months was normal."

"Almost the entire winter the village was stuck there. Rin had two children at the time and Kohaku was desperate to save both his family and his starving people. He finally relented and organized his demon hunters together to push back at the army. Their first clash sparked a huge battle and the Taijiya were good fighters, but they were weak from hunger and outnumbered. As the village walls started to come down Sesshoumaru showed up out of the blue and he was ticked off as hell.

Inuyasha shook his head a little at that memory. " From what we were told it was a heck of a slaughter and some of the things he did haunted the Taijiya for a long time. They almost didn't let him back into the village when it was all said and done."

What Sesshounaru did to that War Lords men he could easily imagine. Considering he'd personally witnessed a few humans and youkai meeting rather gruesome fates at his son's claws. "You should understand Inuyasha what can happen when a dog demon lashes out to protect those they care for. I've been in Sesshoumanu's position before, the rage can be all consuming." The old demon commented off hand as he cast his eyes down onto the polished table. Losing himself briefly to the age old memories of his own battles to protect those he loved.

"Yeah, yeah I know and Sesshoumaru can be a scary bastard when he's ticked off. That day he showed his scary side, according to Kohaku human blood flowed like rivers. He didn't hold back one bit and continued to attack until he killed all of them, even the ones that ran for their lives." A furry ear twitched a little as he thought back to the day that he first learned of the story. "In the end the War Lords castle was destroyed. A final warning"

With a slow nod he absorbed it all in. Youkai often did not care about other living things generally. They tended to take care of themselves and not much else. More than likely the Warlord never expected that the Taijiya village held someone who was very important to the regions Taiyoukai. Or else he would have re-thought his plans. In his place the old Daiyoukai would have tried scaring the warlords men off first. Maybe even paid a visit to the Warlord himself to show him first hand how easily he could be eliminated. Dealing with humans though was a tricky business and he knew his eldest did not have the patience for it. Thus the mass slaughter was not too surprising. None the less it was a little disheartening.

Inuyasha soon grew bored with the book in his hands and set it aside, turning to the stack to fish out another. "Some time after the village was rebuilt, during the summer festival, Sesshoumaru re-appeared. That time he showed up with what looked like a white puffball in his arm. That was the first day we met Hitorri, the pup was three years old at the time. That was his explanation as to why he was away. He'd gone home to have a family of his own."

With a soft giggle Kagome looked up from her book. "We were all surprised, he never mentioned a word about having a child of his own. Then all of a sudden, there was Hitorii. Rin fell in love with the puppy and her kids who were roughly the same age couldn't get enough of him. Everyone had fun." With a content sigh she looked down to her book as she continued. "After that he would pay a visit every few months, something with the pup and sometimes just to visit Rin and her family. Then, something changed." Stopping there she looked over to Inuyasha, who nodded and picked up the story from there.

"What happened we'll probably never know as neither one will say anything about it even now. But in the middle of a winters night Sesshoumaru came to the village with Hitorii. The pup was limp in his arms, looked practically blue with cold and was covered in cuts. Kohaku claimed that for the first time in his life he saw a worried look on Sesshoumaru's face. " Shaking his head a little he whispered. "It's amazing how much parenting can change someone. The village thankfully had one of the best healers in the area. Lucky for Hitorri, he was young enough to bounce back pretty quick from the hypothermia, but neither pup nor father would say what happened."

The old youkai listened on intently, for this was a side of his son that most intrigued him. It was true that parent hood had the power to change someone, even the coldest individuals will warm when they hold their own child. However parenthood had it's challenges as well as it's heart breaks. To see your child ill or in pain was difficult, being unable to do anything your self to help was gut wrenching and to fear losing that child was terrifying. Tilting his head a little to Inuyasha, he continued to listen to the story.

"After that Sesshoumaru began to visit more often, dropping Hitorii off with the Taijiya for days or weeks. It got to the point that Kohaku had an addition to his home built just for them." Pulling out another book he stared down at the cover a moment, a furry ear flicking back. "Then another blow came, when Kohaku died on a demon hunting trip, he was in his sixties at the time. Way too old to be keeping up his profession. But he was the village head so he insisted on continuing his duties despite everyone telling him otherwise."

Drumming his fingers on the book cover, the hanyou found himself with a disinterest in reading. The look on his face becoming thoughtful, even mournful. "Rin was so heartbroken from it that she soon fell sick. The villager healer feared she'd follow Kohaku, even Sesshoumaru could not comfort her."

Setting down her own book Kagome reached a hand out to run along Inuyasha's arm as she picked up the story again. " Somehow though, Sesshoumaru and Hitorii managed to pull her out of that depression. But Rin was changed, she was scared to see her own children, three daughters and two sons, follow in their fathers foot steps. She moved out of the Taijiya village and took her children with her. Sesshoumaru as well."

The smile on her face was impossible to miss, leaving the old youkai unable to stop a little one of his own. "He never went back to his home. Which was odd to us. But Sesshoumaru stayed with Rin's family as they found a new place to live. He continued to remain with them even after Rin died, protecting the whole family. In turn they took care of him and Hitorii. Several generations later that hasn't changed."

It was hard to grasp at first really, he'd always remembered his son from his early days. Sesshoumaru had never liked humans, very possibly due to the way he handled them in front of his son years ago. But to sit here now and learn that he not only put his hatred aside for one human child, but had remained with her decedents for all this time. It was almost impossible to believe that Sesshoumaru had abandoned his ambition for supreme conquest and accepted this much lower key and humbled existance. A Shisa is what he became, a guardian spirit that would watch over the family and home that he'd chosen to live with. That was quite possibly the reason he was alive today, although he had to be reaching the end of his lifespan.

As had to be Inuyasha. The whole thought struck him then that his two sons were only a hundred years or so apart from one another. To see that a hanyou had lasted as long as his youngest has was astonishing, considering very little was known of half bloods. Sadly most were killed before they had the chance to grow old. Yet something didn't feel right, without intending to he gazed at his son across the table. Studying him carefully from head to toe.

Though before he could get any further Kagome noticed his look and leaned into his line of sight." Are you alright?"

The question jerked him back from his thoughts, eyes widening a little he focused on the Miko in front of him. Something was not quite right with her either, as she'd only just confessed to living in the feudal era with his son. However, the two were mated and wed and demonic power worked in strange ways. Perhaps it was through Inuyasha that Kagome had also survived this long? Cracking a quick smile to hide his embarrassment he tried to brush off the awkward moment. "Ah, my apologies. My mind drifted off. I am perhaps still amazed over Sesshoumaru's story and I thank you both for enlightening me. Though I do wish to ask, do either of you know who the Dam is that he sired Hitorii with?"

Inuyasha had finally managed to open another book that he'd been fiddling with while story telling. Looking over the grayed pages as he answered. "No idea, and we've asked many times but neither one will say anything about her. I'll be honest, I never thought there were any female dog demons around. I never saw one anyway."

"Oh they are most certainly around, even in this day and age. You just need to know where to look." The old demon answered in more of a matter-of-fact manner than he intended. His eyes rolling to the side as he considered the mystery woman that Sesshoumaru had some how managed to court. Yes he was aware his eldest was quite a hansom dog, but his romantic skills were non-existent. That was putting it lightly there. Utterly surprising that he even knew what to do with a woman once he had her in bed… -**SLAM!-**

Something hit the table hard enough to startle him right out of his train of thought. The Daiyoukai's body grew ridged as his eyes darted around the room for what he expected was an incoming hostile attack. What he found though wasn't so much as an impeding attack as simply…hostile. With narrowed eyes and a slight twitch of an impending snarl, the look on Inuyasha's face could turn a Gorgan to stone. The hanyou's hand still on the book he'd slammed onto the table as Kagome stared on in awe. "Why does that not surprise me Old Man?"

The flat tone of the boy's words coupled with that frightening look made the hair on the back of the old demons neck stand on end. What in the seven hells is going on here?! Where did this suddenly come from!? Frantically he thought back to the last thirty seconds before the hanyou's outburst. Yes he was thinking mocking thoughts of his eldest, but had he accidentally spoken them out loud?

Though would that really justify such a chilling reaction from Inuyasha? He'd only spoken to his youngest for the first time in his life today, did he misjudge the hanyou's character some how? Was there something concerning his brother and his luck with wome-oh!

The look of surprise faded then as he stared back at his son. Little color of embarrassment coming over his face. Jabbing a pointed finger in the air he gave a soft growl of his own. "No. I realize what you are thinking now. No. Absolutely not. No, no and NO!"

With every word he waved that finger around. Though Inuyasha's expression didn't even crack. "Yeah, says the guy with two wives. That I know of anyway. How many other female dogs do you know?"

The flustered expression really didn't fit the Daiyoukai's face, but there it was. Slowly lowering his hand he tried to work his way through this alarming change of topic. Flabberghasted beyond anything as he tried to organize his thoughts enough to respond. "Weather I know them or not, you are still in no position to assume such things Inuyasha!"

The hanyou's eyes narrowed on the old demon as he growled in return. "So what was mom to you? A mistress? You were already married to another woman, so what? You got bored rolling with dog demons? So you decided to try a human? So tell me Old Man, how many demon bitches do you kn-" Something shot through him, the sudden blood chilling premonition of death. Fight or flight kicked in and a clawed hand instantly grasped for Tetsusaiga's hilt.

Even Kagome was on edge as she watched the tables suddenly turn. Now it was Inuyasha looking on in surprise while his father took on an expression so furious that his face was beginning to turn red. Baring his fangs the old demon gave a beastly sounding growl, a wicked glint in his eyes as he sized up the hanyou. When he finally spoke, his tone was low and laced with a deep rumble. "If you ever speak of Izayoi that way again, then I will not be held responsible for what happens to you. I care not how old you are _boy_, I will beat some respect for your mother into you."

Inuyasha seemed to wither under his fathers intense glare and was struggling to keep himself rooted in place. Every last fiber of his instinct was telling him to run for it! Years of being a rogue however did resurface as he found his voice, all be it a shaky voice and hissed. " Then answer me Old Man."

It was at that moment that the demon realized that he would never get an honorable calling from his son. He'd always be referred to as the "old man", never sir or even father. Honestly, he'd be happy if his son called him "Papa", but no. Drawing a deep breath he leaned back from the table. Drawing his eyes away from his son before he made good on his threat. "You mother mattered more than anything else in this world to me Inuyasha. Yes I had been married to another demoness, but listen carefully. The key words are; _had been married_, we had long since drifted apart before I met Izayoi.

"As for the other demon women? Yes Inuyasha, I knew many female demons in my time but not in the way you are implying. I was a Daiyoukai with considerable power and wealth. Of course there would be women sniffing around. However, after my first wife went on with her life, I chose a human. The reason why? Because your mother cared not for my power or statue. She cared only for my heart. I chose your mother out of love Inuyasha and how dearly I loved her."

"So then where did you go after I was born?" Inuyasha did not even hesitate to ask. It was the one question that had been burning within him since he first laid eyes on the demon. "Mother said you died that night, but you don't look very dead right now Old Man."

The words themselves were calm. Inuyasha's cool tone was absent this time. But they still cut through him like the sharpest of blades. When he released a breath he was unaware that he held, his anger and fury went with the air that emptied from his lungs. More than anything he wanted to turn and face his son, but some how he could not find it in him. Thus, staring at the book clutched in his hands, he answered. "She was right Inuyasha, however this is not the time for this. Please ask me no more, the longer we stray from our purpose here the more time the Dark Queen has to unleash her rein of terror."

As if to make it clear that he had no intent on continuing the conversation, the youkai opened the book up and made himself look busy. Not that it convinced his son one bit, the hanyou leaned on the table and just stared for a moment. Unsure how to even take that brush off. After a few choice words growled under his breath the boy got to his feet and stomped away to the book shelves in a huff. "To Hell with you Old Man."

Kagome closed the book she had been poking at, doing her bit of research and gently she set it down , looking at the daiyoukai with a quiet scrutiny.

"You know...I understand you can't give out all the answers to the questions of where you came from." She started slowly, "I do. Really. And I don't blame you for it...and you're right, in a sense, that now is not the time. But it would be a good idea to give Inuyasha, at least, *some* idea of what happened. No one said you had to spill all your guts, a general idea would work fine. Trust is a two-way street. So far we've trusted you unconditionally for very little. Maybe you should give him a little trust in return." With that-she picked her book up to follow her husband.

Leaving the old demon to watch on as the pair left him at the table to stew on their words. How much he wished that he could simply tell them, though he knew well he couldn't. If he so much as dared even think of saying a thing about that, a terribly cold feeling would creep into the pit of his stomach. Looking away from the pair he stared at the book in his hands and tried to clear his mind.

Easier said than done however, it was difficult trying to switch back to the issue at hand after that. The text before his eyes blurred as he lost himself briefly to his thoughts. They had warned him never to seek his family out again. He should have known better! A confrontation like this was inevitable. Drawing a deep breath he shoved those thoughts to the back of his mind and rubbed lightly at his eyes. Now was not the time. It felt like his heart would explode in his chest at any moment, but now was not the time. With determination he focused his concentration on what mattered; the dark queen, the necromantic monsters and the strange events surrounding both.

Again that nagging feeling that this was all too familiar returned. Mulling over it, the demon stared at the old yellowed pages of the book in his hands. Finding himself unable to read a single word. Instead he took the time to comb through all the details offered by his son. Comparing them with his own observations. From the bazaar behavior of the necromantic monsters to the way Tetsusaiga reacted to the dark pool. Why did it feel like he'd heard of something like this before?

Slowly he closed the book in his hands and read over the gold leaf kanji that made up the title. _Japanese folk lore_. Whispering softly to himself as it finally came to him. "Because I have heard of this before. "

"Heard of what?" Inuyasha looked over from the book shelf, catching sight of his fathers face and the creepy smile that was suddenly drawn over it. With a curious expression of his own he turned towards the demon, though the question was left unsaid as the Daiyoukai sprang off his cushion and tossed the book down.

"I am a fool! Why did I not see this?" With an exasperated sigh he drew his clawed fingers through his silvery hair and without warning, started for the library door. Leaving the hanyou and miko to exchange surprised looks before they went after him. Inuyasha calling out with an annoyed tone.

"Where are you going old man? "

"To find the kitchen."

Chapter 34 - end.

Author's note.: I decided to place this at the end this time so that I would not spoil the chapter. I want to apologize with being late (again), but the chapter grew into a real monster! It was one of those situations where my muse was having a crazed sugar high and lots of ideas flooded out as a result. Now that this part is done let me hop to the next.

To all the Sessh x Rin people out there, I'm sorry but I have always seen Sesshoumaru as a parental figure to Rin. To me it would look really creepy if Sesshoumaru raised Rin to be his bride, it makes him look like a pedo-dog. However everyone is entitled to their opinion on the pair. Whatever floats your duck.

Thank you again for reading.


	35. Little Talks

Chapter 35 …. Little Talks.

It was amazing how sound proof the little room was, inside those four walls all that could be heard was the soft humming and beeping sounds of medical equipment. Sometimes coupled with the rustle of fabric or scuff of a shoe on the floor. However one only needed to look outside the window to see the chaos just outside the room. Where emergency vehicles navigated through treacherous broken streets on their way to the hospital. Each one jockeying for one of the few useable ambulance bays available, only to then be swamped by dozens of people desperate to escape!

The order to evacuate the city was given almost a day ago**;** but the earthquakes left the hospital dangerously isolated as the roads around it were rendered impassable in some places and sightings of monsters became more common. Which were further cutting off the hospital from what remained of civilization and creating a logistical nightmare. One that authorities were currently trying to tackle to the best of their abilities as police and volunteers worked to clear paths and hold some order over the chaotic evacuation effort. All of them unaware that they were being watched from a window three floors up.

Closing the curtains of the room Ruki gave a soft sigh, briefly entertaining a wish to have been out there keeping the monsters back and fighting with her comrades to ensure the safety of the fleeing hospital patience. But much to her disappointment, the reality was no where near as exciting. The rest of the Taijiya was out there fighting monsters and what did she have? Guard duty.

Though Sentei made if quite clear that the police would be capable enough, he still took nearly all of the Demon Hunters' meager forces here to this hospital, trying to provide aid and assistance to people who'd never seen a supernatural creature in their lives. If only they knew what went on just beyond their sights on a day to day basis. Then again it may be for the better to keep the general populace ignorant. With a bored look over her face, she sat down beside the hospital bed and quietly looked over Sakagami.

Imagine if anyone else knew that this man's fate was forever bound to a vicious monsters? She was sure that he would not manage to continue on with his lively hood as a historic investigator if such information became public. Sakagami had spent most of his life hiding that dark secrete and for the most part he succeeded in that endeavor, however he paid the price. Living a very solitary life with no ties to family and having few friends. Riko herself had been the only person to stay with him as he lay in the hospital bed all this time, ever by his side even if it wasn't for a noble cause.

Propping her chin on a small fist, Riko's eyes wandered over to the heart monitor, watching the little line jut up and down with each steady beat. Her assignment was a simple one: to question Sakagami when he woke. However in all the time she'd stood guard over the historian since he'd first arrived here, he'd only managed to wake up once. Completely without warning he just sat bolt upright one day, his silver eyes scanning the room around him blearily for a moment. He had Babbled nonsense as if he'd been asked a question, till he ran out of breath to speak and slumped back down**,** once more out like a light.

It was frustrating for the young Demon Hunter, to watch him sleep so peacefully while holding so much desperately needed information! Who was that creature he brought with him? He looked human but possessed a strength and fighting prowess that kept even Sentei back on his heels. He gave no visible signs of demonic power but clearly executed attacks that only a demon could manage. What were they dealing with?! Sakagami knew, but as he was right now in recovery from terrible wounds, so the answers would remain just out of her reach.

Drawing a soft sigh she slumped back against the chair and slid down into a slouch. She Pulled a phone out of her trench coat pocket and was in the middle of poking about for a game to play when a knock came to the door. The door creaking open a moment later, obviously not waiting for a response. Feeling a little unmotivated at the moment Riko simply called out a friendly hello, her eyes only peeling off the phones screen when a nurse stepped in. A nurse who had very pretty, very hard to miss pink hair.

The nurse remembered her manners and gave a little bow as the door closed behind her. "Excuse me," her attention quickly moved to Sakagami. Retrieving a clip board she gazed through a pair of glasses and fell silent as she read. With her pink hair pulled into an elegant updo, she wore a nurses uniform that accented her curvy frame and shapely legs so well that even Riko caught herself staring. But not before the nurse noticed, her dusty pink eyes looking at the room guest over her glasses. A little smile playing on her face. "Mr. Sakagami is next in line for evacuation. Would it be alright if I asked you to step outside while I prepare him for transport?"

Riko pushed herself up off the chair and subconsciously ran her finger through her own red hair, she flashed the nurse a well practiced goofy little school girl smile as her gaze drifted to the door. "Sorry about that! I didn't mean to be in your way! If you don't mind me asking though, are you going to do this by yourself? Is there anything I can help with?"

One by one the nurse inspected each of the monitoring devices, writing down their measurements onto the clip board. Looking up for a moment to return the young girl's smile with a sultry sweet one of her own. " Thank you. The hospital staff is spread thin right now, but I am sure Mr. Sakagami wont give me any trouble."

Rocking on her heels a little Riko gave a nervous laugh. "Oh! Right! I'm sorry!" Stiff legged, she slid to the door looking embarrassed and a little flustered, holding that smile as she opened the door and slipped out into the hall. Once the door closed her expression turned grim however, pressing her back to the wall she fished through a pocket and pulled out a decorative string of four beads. Two of which were lit up with an eerie light. Rolling the beads in the palm of her hand she quickly retrieved her phone to dial.

A few tense moments passed as she waited for the line to pick up, her eyes darting through the hall where nothing short of organized chaos was unfolding. Every few moments a room would open and several nurses and hospital staff would file out, bringing with them another patient. So why was there only one person to prep Sakagami? The click of the other line was almost missed due to her preoccupied thoughts. The receiving end remaining silent for a moment as Riko snapped back, struggling a moment to keep her voice calm and nonchalant. " I have two beads."

"I have two glasses and a bottle of wine if you have this Friday night off?" The other voice sounded a little shaky on the line, as if the line was practiced. More than likely in front of a mirror, or a computer monitor considering who it was.

Riko rolled her eyes and gave a little sigh. "Not now Chousa, I have two beads here. She looks human, if humans came with pink eyes, pink hair and a calendar girl figure. I want to know what I am getting into before I pull her off Sakagami."

There was a clatter on the other end of the line followed by what sounded like a frustrated sigh. Though Riko stood firm and waited patiently near the wall, her eyes darting to a room just down the hall where three nurses helped roll a man in his wheel chair out. The man's head was bandaged up almost completely, she was positive the poor fellow could not see through it. To be blind and scared, the thought brought with it a feeling of pity.

Chousa's tone crackled on the other end of the line, bringing her attention back to her issue at hand. "Nothing."

"Nothing? Are you sure? We seem to be getting that a lot lately Chousa!" Breath seeped through her clenched teeth as she bit back her sharp words. It wasn't his fault and she didn't mean to take it out on him, but it was still discouraging none the less.

"Nothing, I'm sorry Riko. Funny thing is I think I remember hearing about a 'person with interest' that has pink hair and pink eyes. I'll go looking through the paper archives later..." Chousa's tone dropped then as if something had caught his attention, but the only answer Riko could hear was the sounds of furious typing on an old keyboard.

For Riko, that flurry of typing caused her to freeze a moment, swallowing back bile as she hung onto the silence.

Chousa's tone turned serious. "Incoming. Picking up a surge through the sewers. Warning sent."

Without a word Riko hung up the phone and slipped it back into her pocket**,** her fingers searching for the taser she carried instead, her gaze quickly darting up and down the hall to see if anyone was paying her any attention. The hospital was already in a high level of panic and the last thing she wanted to do was raise that level further. Which would be a moot point in a few minutes anyway, it left her with only a small window of opportunity. With a controlled sense of calm Riko turned towards the door, drawing a breath and waiting till the count of three. Whoever or whatever the woman was in that room, her time had just run out.

With the grace of a well trained warrior she opened the door and slipped inside, her gaze instantly drawn towards the bed. Only to find it perfectly made with crisp new sheets and very much empty. The room around it in much the same state, every bit was spotless. As if no one had even been in there.

Movement caught the demon hunter's eye and she looked over to see the window wide open. White lace curtains dancing upon the gentle breeze. Curtains that she swatted aside when she rushed to the window sill, a look of sheer disbelief on her face as she desperately searched for any sign of them. Scanning roof tops, parked vehicles and the streets below**,** but not finding a single sign of Sakagami nor the pink haired nurse.

A curse rose to her lips as she quickly pulled out the phone once more. Though as she furiously dialed the sounds of screams came through the halls. Followed closely after by the guttural sound of a bestial roar! Now those curses flowed freely as water down hill! Shoving the phone into her pocket her hand slipped under that trench coat instead to draw her glaive. Without a look back she whirled out through the door and into the chaos erupting outside.

The door once again creaked softly before it gently closed in the wake of the departing demon huntress. The room standing quiet and still, until the sound of an exhaled breath broke the serene silence. Several glittery lights winked into existence, dancing upon the air as a shimmer came over the room. Rippling as if someone were pulling a veil out from before their eyes. As the spell finally dropped the rooms appearance altered, looking once more as it had before with it's unmade bed and general mess and clutter from days of occupation. Ryosei gave a soft smile and held out her hand as the shimmer still dancing in the air began to collect in her palm. Gathering in on itself until it at last became little more than a set of jade butterflies bound onto a red silk string.

Tucking the little charms into the top of her nurses outfit she casually turned to face Sakagami who was still very much out of it as he sat slumped forward in a wheel chair. " Alright then my friend, I think tonight is your lucky night hm?" Her finger tips caressed along the unconscious man's cheek as she leaned down to gaze into his peaceful looking face. "I wonder why everyone is so interested in the Ghost Hounds sacrifice all so suddenly?"

Dusty pink eyes lazily looked over the unconscious form before her. The smell of medicine and dried blood still clung to his body and made her nose itch. Though it did nothing to temper her curiosity. Her smile grew wider as her fingers hooked the historians chin, tilting his head up to her.

"Well then, shall we go Mr. Sakagami?"

…

"Odd time to be hungry Old Man, I thought we had a bigger problem?" Inuyasha quipped as he followed after the demon. A furry ear flicked back in his lingering irritation.

"Actually, I could use something. Though my initial thought was not due to my hunger." It was an off-handed reply at best, for his mind was lost in the chase so to speak. All the pieces were beginning to come together yet he was still dealing with some contradictions in his head. Thus, preoccupied, he relied on his nose to help lead him through the halls of the large house and find the kitchen.

Inuyasha stared after the youkai, a mixed expression of curiosity and annoyance on his face**,** as he waited for an answer but soon he realized that none would come while he was searching about. Taking Kagome's hand, he pushed on past the old dog and growled. "It's over this way, but you better start talking this time old man. What did you figure out?"

Arching his brow a little he moved aside to let his son and daughter in law through, before falling into step behind them. "Have you heard of the tale about Izanami and her husband Izanagi?"

Inuyasha stopped by a set of double doors, pushing them open for his wife and father. His eyes rolling up a moment as he pondered that question a moment. "I don't think I have hear of a tale, though for some reason those names sound familiar. "

"I have." Kagome piped up as she walked into the kitchen, placing a little peck of a kiss to Inuyasha's cheek along the way, wasting no time as she made her way to the cup boards in the search for tea. Welcoming the distraction as she tried to cover over the fact that she was a little suspicious of this sudden shift in the old demon's demeanor. From being stubbornly clammed up a few moments ago, to being ready to tell a story now, it was just a little too unsettling for her. "But I haven't heard that story since I was really young." She commented while opening a can of green tea to sniff at the fragrant dry leaves.

"It's an ancient story known to both the human and the supernatural world." Though before he could even begin the story he paused and stared in awe at the size of the kitchen! A peasant hut could fit in this room! The walls were lined with cooking machines of all kinds, racks of shiny pots and pans hung from the ceiling and everything from the floor to the countertops was covered in marble. At the center of the kitchen was a small island of counter space with chairs surrounding it. A bowl of glass fruit sitting as a center piece. Absolutely amazing, though he wondered why someone would need such a huge kitchen? Unless they planned to feed an army? Shaking his head a little to push that thought aside he spied the fridge and started for it.

"I wonder what would be in the ice box?"

"You mean Refrigerator, Old Man."

"Does that mean it takes less ice?" He asked after opening the door to the first freezer he'd ever seen. Staring blankly at the frozen food stored within for a few long minutes before closing the door. Reality set in, he was so behind on the times that the last kitchen he'd ever stepped into had a wood burning stove and a box where ice was stored to keep food for longer.

"Ice boxes have been gone for years. " Kagome's tone rose just as Inuyasha's mouth opened, stopping the hanyou's intended insult from rolling off his tongue. She gave a soft giggle as her husband's following flustered look before she resumed her preparations for tea.

"I see." Doing his best to bury that moment of embarrassment he ruined his attention back to the fridge. "The short version of the story is; Izanagi was deity married to the beautiful Lady Izanami. The two are credited with the birth of many lesser deities in their time. Until one day Izanami succumbed after child birth and perished." Opening the fridge to search about, he plucked up various items to sniff while he talked. The house had been evacuated for some time now, however thanks to some mysterious source of electrical power the food was preserved well enough.

" Izanagi however would not give up on his wife. In his eyes her beauty alone was worth breaking down the barriers that separated the living world from the underworld. Opening such a door way he crossed that boundary and sought to retrieve his beautiful Izanami."

Lifting the lid of a heavy pot he sniffed at the contents and perked a little. The aroma of beef, carrots and savory broth instantly made his stomach gurgle. How long had it been since he'd enjoyed a beef bowl? Pulling the pot out of the fridge he started for the stove. "When Izanagi had at last found Izanami, she begged him not to lay eyes on her and in turn Izanagi promised to keep his eyes averted. For little did he know that she had eaten some of the food of the underworld, which had permanently linked her to that realm and could never return to the living."

"But Izanami was a very curious fellow and eventually that curiosity got the better of him." Setting the pot on the stove he instinctively began to look around for wood as he opened the 'fire box". Only to notice that the interior looked strange and smelled of gas instead of ashes. Realizing that he'd made a mistake he quickly shut the oven and continued on as if he meant to open it for no reason!

His gaze turned then to the numerous dials and switches lining the stove top, several of them. Exactly what was he supposed to do to turn this contraption on?

For several minutes he stared at them dumbfounded, until he noticed one button labeled _Start_? Well, what harm could there be in trying? Reluctantly he reached over and hit that button.

"Please SELLECT the desired temperature for PREHEAT!" The voice was sudden, sounded very much like a child's and startled the youkai badly enough to jump back a step from the thing, staring at it wide eyed!

"You turned on the oven Old Man." Inuyasha couldn't hide the snicker that followed. Finding some morbid amusing in watching his father bumble with the stove.

"I turned the- oh no! " Thoroughly alarmed now he pulled open the oven door once again as he searched for the source of the voice**,** and stared at the emptiness with some small sense of relief. "Nothing is closed in here. Do these contraptions speak to you now?"

While he stood there casting the stove a bewildered look Kagome came up beside him to save the day, closing the oven door and hitting another button that caused the stove to announce that it was turned off in it's child like voice. Setting a kettle of water down on the stove top Kagome took the time to answer while reaching for the dials. " Not all of them do, this is a high end model stove. Here let me show you how to use this. Just turn this knob first to open the gas, then you hit this button until the flame sparks." Pressing a switch, the stove made a soft clicking sound before a blue flame came to life under the tea pot.

She made it look so simple and left him feeling a little foolish for the whole experience. "Thank you, I've not operated one of these ever." Hiding his embarrassment with a well practiced smile he repeated her directions and lit the flame beneath the pot. It truly seemed silly but he felt a sense of accomplishment when he saw that little blue flame! Leaving the beef heating up he turned his attention to the next order of business. "Now, we cannot have a beef bowl without rice."

"We wont learn about Izanagi and Izanami if you keep playing with your inner home maker Old Man!"

Following his nose he moved along the polished cabinets while ignoring his son's impatient rant. He dug out a silver canister a moment later to pop open, his effort rewarded by the sweet smell of jasmine rice. With his treasure in hand he only started to look for a pot when Kagome appeared once again beside him and placed a round looking white machine on the counter beside him.

"This is a rice cooker. " She mentioned off hand and after catching the youkai's second bewildered look, she idly nipped the rice canister right from his hand and scuttled away before he could protest!

As he studied the rice cooker that bewildered look turned to a doubtful one. The thing looked thin and plastic. From his experience, rice was always cooked in a heavy bottomed earthen pot. One of the first things he learned how to cook was rice and using that earthen pot was an integral part of how, back during that time he had one particular pot that never failed him. Fluffy rice every time, even when he accidentally forgot the thing over the fire for too long. Never was a grain ever burned and whatever rice rested on the bottom always browned and toasted into a crisp treat that was delicious with a drizzle of honey.

He was rather proud of how well he could cook rice. Thus he was a little skeptical about this plastic box with a thin metal bowl that Kagome was currently measuring water into. " You need a contraption to cook rice as well? Does it also talk?"

Setting the tea cups on the little kitchen island, Inuyasha shot a look over his shoulder at his father. A dark brow twitched a little. " Hey old man, how about you continue the story and leave the rice to that machine?" As odd and amusing as it was watching his father making a fool of himself in the kitchen, they needed to know what in the world he'd found out!

With a wooden spoon in hand he turned back to his son, eyeing him a moment before suddenly remembering where he'd left off. "Ah! My apologies, distracted by food how embarrassing! " Giving a soft chuckle as a sweat drop rolled down he lifted the beef pots lid and gave the contents a stir. "Well, as I was explaining, Izanagi was a curious man, he snuck a look at his wife when he felt he had the opportunity. However he was not prepared for what he saw, his beautiful Izanami was reduced to a gruesome corpse that oozed black blood. Seeing his wife's body in a state of decay and rot was unfortunately a bit too much for Izanagi to bare and he could not help but cry out in fright**;** Revealing his treachery."

Tapping the spoon on the edge of the pot, he looked over to the pair with a little smile. "Izanami was absolutely enraged when she laid eyes on her husband. Her fury only intensified when he turned and fled from her as fast as he could." The whistling tea kettle interrupted him for a moment.

Inuyasha though gave him a look while he collected the screeching thing off the stove and filled a tea pot with the boiling water. " Alright, so the moral of this story is: Hell hath no fury like a pissed off wife. What does that have to do with the Dark queen and the Necromantic monsters?" He grumbled sourly, not seeing the point of this tale yet. He turned towards his father, only to find a wooden spoon pointed right at his face!

The youkai flashed an all-knowing smirk. "Everything actually. When I first slew one of those monsters I could smell a strange kind of Necromancy unraveling from them. Then earlier today I had witnessed their odd reaction to music, their behavior completely changing before my eyes. " Holding that wooden spoon up as if he were making a point he looked between the hanyou and the miko. He Quickly noted their curious looks.

Drawing a little sigh he folded his arms over his chest, still waving that spoon somewhat as he continued. "When Izanami discovered her husband had broken his promise she was livid, she summoned eight underworld hags to chase him down and capture him. Fortunately Izanagi was quite the trickster and he managed to escape these hags. Then he sealed the door way to the underworld behind him. Thereby cutting off Izanami and her hags from the living world. However, that seal was far from permanent and as the centuries rolled on Izanami and her monsters learned how to weaken the boundary between the living world and the dead. Creating other door ways."

Leaving that bit of the tale sink in for the pair, he turned his attention back to the beef pot. Savoring the wonderful smell that filled the room the moment he lifted the lid. "I believe those 'Necromantic' Monsters are in actuality, a version of a creature known as the Nukibotoke. An undead that can only be raised by ancient magic. Magic that in this day in age could only come from one of the more powerful denizens of the underworld."

Inuyasha leaned back a little on the kitchen island and stared at his father in thought. Casting a quick look to Kagome to see if she had a better response. But her shrug told him everything, with small degree of shyness he called out to the youkai. "So the dark queen is this Izanami person? "

With the beef almost at a simmer, he lowered the heat and set the wooden spoon aside. " If this 'Dark Queen' truly is Izanami then I am afraid there is nothing we can do to save this city, she is a deity after all. Even the oldest and most powerful of youkai would be humbled by her presence." Turning his attention to the cupboards once more he searched for glassware**,** unaware of the shocked look on the pairs' faces behind him.

Kagome then realized that if they wanted to get anywhere in a timely manner today, then he needed to stop being distracted every five minutes! Puffing out her cheeks she came over to the old demon's side to do something about it and deftly elbowed the bigger man out of her way! She Pointed at the chairs around the kitchen island, giving the old demon an icy glare as she uttered one command, "Sit."

Inuyasha instinctively froze, though the old demon didn't see the odd reaction. He only tilted his head a little at the young woman in front of him. Opening his mouth to politely protest she just pointed again. "Let me handle the food, you need to sit and finish telling us the story. "

There was something off about this exchange, though the demon couldn't put his finger on it. When he spied his son looking like he'd just had the biggest fright of his life while bracing himself against the table**, **a sweat drop rolled down and he began to feel sorry for his boy. "Ah! My apologies, I did not think the tale would affect you that much." Giving up his kitchen duty the youkai made his way to the chair in defeat, keeping a concerned eye on his recovering son at the same time. "Before anything more happens, no, I do not believe Izanami is the one we are facing here. Rather I believe it is one of her hand maidens, a Shikome. Another name for the hags that chased Izanagi."

Inuyasha cast his father an annoyed look as he sat down and heaved a huge breath. The rosary around his neck had been stripped of its power for years now, but he still could not stop that conditioned reflex to the '_s-word'_. Though he knew his father's look was for the wrong reasons, he didn't bother to correct him. Slowly sinking back into his chair the hanyou sighed. "So we're dealing with one of the hags that chased after a god. You know, that doesn't make this situation feel any better. How the hell as we supposed to fight her?"

With a wave of a hand he motioned for his son to settle down. "Calm down Inuyasha, the answer is very simple..." Then the answer was quite forgotten as Kagome returned with two large bowls of beef and rice, and set one before each dog. With discipline he stopped himself from digging in right away. He was hungrier than he first thought. As if the smell of food reminded his stomach of the purpose behind it's existence. But, manners! Stubbornly he waited until Kagome had returned with her bowl and settled in a chair with them. With an inner sigh of relief he gathered up the bowl and chop sticks to eat.

"How simple?" Inuyasha mumbled from around a large mouth full of food. Not really bothered too much by the looks he was getting from both Kagome and his father. Though he did flash them both an annoyed look in return. "What!?"

"That is rude Inuyasha." He sighed softly and shook his head, turning his attention back to his food as he mixed the rice with the savory broth.

"Please keep going?" Kagome's gentle plea caused him to stop mid bite. A defeated expression on his face as he set down the chopsticks and continued. " As I was saying the answer is simple, you can stop the Nukibotoke by distracting them with music. If there are any bards among the wolves this should be an easy task."

"You're about 300 years too late to be asking for a bard old man." Inuyasha grumbled as he watched his father stuff a large bite of food in his mouth. Shaking his head a little as he turned to his own food.

Kagome picked at her meal as she added. " We could bring along battery powered radios. But there are too many Nukibotokes out there." Giving the demon the chance to eat she turned then to Inuyasha. "You know, we never questioned why she was attacking the city?"

That was the big question wasn't it? With his interest in the meal lost the hanyou fiddled with the chopsticks in his hand. " All we know is that she appeared after the earthquake. We don't know if she woke from it or was the one behind it. But now that we know who she is, I think now we can guess that she's still looking for that peeping creep Izanagi."

"Before Izanagi sealed the door way to the underworld, Izanami promised to kill a thousand people a day" The couple fell into silence at the old demon's words, their eyes fixed on him as he chewed thoughtfully at a bite of food. " It is safe to assume this Shikome is only doing the bidding of her Goddess. However I am still curious as to why myself. In my time alive I have never seen nor experienced any signs from the Goddess of the Underworld. "

It was a sobering thought now that he considered it, how many times he'd unknowingly flirted with disaster in his effort to hone the Meidou Zangestsuha? Pushing the thought out of his head his attention returned to his bowl, only to find it empty, and realizing that he'd finished his meal far faster than intended, despite making a conscious effort to take it slow and enjoy it. Rising from his chair he made his way to the counter for seconds. "With the aid of music the monsters will be destracted from the fight. Giving us an advantage when we finally corner the Shikome."

"Sounds great Old Man, but we still have to find this hag! Any ideas on that?" Inuyasha grumbled while the old demon sat himself back down and dug into his second helping. Though it was Kagome that answered that question.

"I think I know a way, if these 'power lines' of dark magic are feeding the Shikome's power then we just have to follow one." Setting down her chop sticks Kagome pulled a purse off her shoulder and began to route around in it. "My aura sense can't feel the power line unless I cross it directly, so that wont help us. But I have this!" Out of a velvet satchel a triangular crystal tethered to a slender silver chain tumbled out onto her palm.

Inuyasha lost interest in his dinner and leaned over to look at his wife's find. "Is that a pendulum?" Although Kagome was priestess, she was never exactly formally trained at a shrine under the guidance of a head spiritualist. Instead the old village miko Kaede taught her everything she knew, but much of what Kagome was capable of was beyond even her expertise. However Inuyasha remembered the lesson involving the pendulum. If he remembered right, the crystal was tuned to the earth. Thus when it crossed any kind of disturbance in the earth's flow of ambient aura it would move on it's own.

"Be sure that you are well away from myself when you use that Kagome. My demonic aura can stretch quite far and distort it's readings." The youkai warned, the pendulum was a wonderful tool for detecting power but it was very sensitive. Especially to turbulent energies like a demons aura. With a smile and nod to the miko's quick thinking he returned his attention to his dinner, and finished off the last few bites.

Satisfied with Kagome's idea the hanyou sat back to ponder over the pieces of their plan coming together here. His eyes rolled to his father who still looked ravenous and with a snort he shoved his own barely touched food to the youkai.

"Here, you look like you've not eaten in days. "

Feeling a bit like a glutton at this point, the youkai looked at the food and politely refused, only to have Inuyasha forcefully shove the bowl back in front of him again. Accepting defeat he took the bowl with a word of thanks. Thinking back to his last decent meal, which was in China, he'd not eaten much of anything the sailors offered on the boat trip due to the fact that the food almost always smelled spoiled. There was the small lunch in Sakagami's van, but it was not enough to sate him then. "In truth I've not had a hot meal in a couple of weeks now."

"Then you need that more than me. Now whenever you're done Old Man, maybe you can give us an idea on how to fight the Shikome?" Inuyasha watched as the youkai dug into his third beef bowl. He briefly wondered were he'd been all this time if he couldn't get a meal? It was a question that remained unasked however, since he did not really want to reignite the spat from the library.

No matter how ravenous he was on the other hand, he still considered the options available to them. A Shikome was still practically a deity itself and possessed considerable power. She could raise more of her warriors from that black substance, that was more than likely the blood of the underworld. Those monsters would be able to whittle down the demonic forces easily enough, and take every loss on their side as a new fighter of her own. The prospects seemed dismal, until something came to mind. Perking up abruptly he regarded the two with a smirk. "Actually I know what we can use to aid us in this battle." Setting down his chop sticks, he made his way back towards the fridge and began to rummage around.

Both the hanyou and miko looked at one another for the third time that night. Inuyasha giving a little growl as he leaned on the table. " Hey! I just gave you food! How can you still be hungry?"

"This is not for me, this is for you." Came his muffled voice while he pried drawers open in his search.

"I'm not hungry anymore Old Man. "

"I did not mean this was for you to eat Inuyasha."

Kagome gave a little sigh, if no one interfered then they would go all night like this. Reaching out she stuffed a big bite of her own beef bowl into Inuyasha's opened mouth to block the next string of sour words from coming out of it. "Can you elaborate then? What can we use to defeat her?"

"Ah-ha!" With a grin the youkai found what he was looking for! Closing the fridge behind him, he casually made his way back to the table and set down two items before both kids. Standing back and giving them a triumphant look, while completely ignoring their confused expressions as they stared at what he'd given them.

Peaches.

Inuyasha carefully picked up a peach and aimed for the demon's head. Kagome knew she should stop him, but somehow found herself tempted to do the same. The youkai narrowed his eyes as he regarded them both, silently daring them to try it while offering a little explanation. " As the story goes, when Izanagi was being chased through the underworld he tried to discourage the hags by throwing obstacles in their way. However he only succeeded in slowing them down as they relentlessly chased him through the under world like hounds in pursuit of a rabbit. Then he began throwing food at them. He threw bamboo shoots, rice and peaches at the hags. He watched in relief as the women stopped their chase long enough to eat."

With that Inuyasha gave up the idea of throwing the fruit and took a moment to give it a better look. "So then the Shikome will get distracted if she see's these?"

"Well I could not find Bamboo shoots and I am sure you two do not want to carry that rice cooking contraption with you." The youkai stated simply as he sat down to finish his dinner.

Inuyasha flashed a skeptical look at his father then, unsure if he wanted to believe this. A wicked hag from the underworld powerful enough to turn the city into a surface land of the dead and she was easily distracted by fruit? It almost seemed like a bad joke. Though he couldn't think of a better idea. "I guess this is out best bet then, long as you're sure it's going to work."

Looking up from his next bite of food the old demon cheerily replied. "To be honest, I'm not sure if it will work. It is a fairy tale after all. Thus there is only one way to be sure." The youkai smiled at the pair of them.

Only to duck as a peach came flying at his head!

Chapter 35.….End.

Authors Note: Izanagi and Izanami

There is quite a bit of lore out there on Izanagi. I barely scratched the surface here on this god. In a nut shell Izanagi and Izanami roughly performed the same role in Japanese mythology as Zeus and Hera did for the Greeks. Giving rise to many other deities that to this day still have active shrines and temples in their honor. This particular story mentioned in the chapter is also just one version of many available.


	36. Old Memories

Chapter 36 - Old Memories

"No rest for the wicked it seems." The old demon whispered to himself as he stood in the center of a rather spacious bathroom. Unlike the rest of the house the modern conveniences here were quite obvious though they still were decorated with a traditional touch. Like the large round tub ringed in bamboo and old oak planks, of which he certainly enjoyed enough that he'd spent a little more time soaking in the pleasantly hot water than he intended. Not that any one could hardly blame him, this was perhaps the most rest he'd enjoyed since he'd arrived here. At least that was the argument he'd prepared in the event someone complained about this. Oh how he already missed it only a moment after climbing out!

Combing his fingers through his long wet hair he silently reflected over it all. The emotions, the memories, everything that he'd held back while facing his long lost family, finally came crashing down over his head. Laying bare everything that brought him a sense of amazement, wonder and shame. At the fore front was his youngest son who he could not help but gaze upon with a mixed bag of emotions at best. However that same mix of emotions was apparent in his hanyou boy as well. Every time his son looked towards him, he could see the confusion and anger in his honey colored eyes. A smile drew over his face as he grabbed a towel and began to dry himself.

"Hanyou," He whispered to himself. "Half breed, demi-demon, hybrid...not one of those gives you proper credit. You inherited the best qualities of your parentage and are more than capable of standing up to your full blooded counterparts. " Drawing the towel around himself a moment he gave a soft sigh. "If I had the opportunity, I would have raised you as a demon and none would ever see you differently, not even the old monk on the mountain. "

A well wish for a distant dream that had long ago slipped from his fingers. A dream he had often thought of, before everything he knew and cherished was lost in the flames. Memories of a distant past long forgotten began to filter forth, only to hit a mental wall that sent a shiver along his spine. Burying his face in the towel he quickly shook off that queer feeling that those memories were dangerous. The cold truth drawing in to remind him that he was in no position to be soul searching, this was something he should be well aware of.

After drying off his face he took in a deep breath, filling his lungs with the floral scented bathroom air. Regaining control of his emotions before they ran amok and left him a wreck and releasing that breath in a long even exhale he expelled those tormenting feelings before his eyes turned towards the bathroom mirror. It's surface clouded from the bathrooms steam, yet it still managed to faintly show him the cold facts that long ago he was forced to accept. Using a corner of the towel he cleaned off the mirrors surface and gazed at his reflection.

To this day he knew nearly nothing of the black haired and blue eyed man that stared back at him. Apart from the fact that he was his very first victim in this second life. His soul and flesh overtaken by his demonic power and reshaped to look like the demon he once was, though these details always remained to remind him. All at once his thoughts returned to that snow filled night long ago.

A night filled with fear, blood shed, heart break and loss. Under a moonless sky a castle burned brightly, a fitting funeral pyre for the demon within. As he'd lain in the wreckage, caught in death's ever tightening grip, he had turned his eyes to the only door out of the hellish room and to the fresh foot prints in the snow just beyond it. He had thought of how this would be the last he would see of his love that he'd rescued only minutes before, thought of what she now faced raising the newborn. Alone.

The irony burned hotter than the flames that had been steadily creeping towards him. He had saved her from death yet could do nothing about his own, with all his power and strength he could not save himself. After all his struggles and fighting he could not be with her! In the face of his mortality he closed his eyes and let his emotions consume him. How badly he'd wished to defeat death, the desire to escape this fate quickly grew even as he felt the life fading from him.

It was in this moment of desperation a voice had whispered to him, soft and soothing, echoing with promise, offering a final chance to escape this torment. This voice had drawn his turbulent soul from the hell he was facing and opened a way of escape and like a cornered and suffering animal, he'd taken it without thinking!

It was all he remembered of that night, for when he next awoke he was lost and confused. In a body that did not feel like his own he stumbled from his bed of stone. Limbs refused to work right and many times he fell to the floor helpless. While he struggled to comprehend what had happened to him, he found a mirror and caught his first gimps of this black haired and blue eyed man. The man he'd unknowingly possessed.

No, the man he'd unknowingly consumed body and soul.

In all his years he'd seen many demon possessions, most were violent and terrifying to watch. The victims minds were almost always left shattered, leaving the human gripped in madness and physical pain. Facing only two options, to fight the demon or be devoured by it. How long had this man suffered when he devoured him? What ill fate brought this poor soul face to face with an angry dog demons soul? However the fact that frightened him the most, was that he had absolutely no recollection of the possession.

Instinct, that was his only answer though it brought him no comfort. He was a demon, no matter how warm his heart, how understanding his mind and how gentle his soul was. At the very core of his being he was a malevolent monster and in the end a demons instincts could not be denied. How foolish was he to believe that he was any different? That he could make himself to be any different when the reality was merely a mirrors reflection away.

As time went on and his demonic power had grown, the black hair had faded to silver and his demonic features restored themselves. Which left the features of the nameless man not to be seen again, unless a power drew it back to the surface, subconsciously he looked down to the blue crystal hanging around his neck.

Rolling the towel up in his hands he turned from the mirror and tossed it into the hamper and pushed aside his thoughts of which he'd combed over so many times in his existence since. How easy it was it for him to entertain such pleasant dreams, for that was all they were, dreams. Never again would he be the same as he once was. No longer was he a dog demon of that caliber. It was no longer his place anymore. For he was now an Inugami, a vengeful soul brought back to serve the master that summoned it. A master that would surely call him back when the time came.

From one monster to another far worse creature. It was almost laughable how quickly he forgot about that. How easily he could still dream of returning to his family, of living comfortably, ignoring the darkness in his soul as he conveniently forgot about his own blood soaked past. Far too easily.

Holding his hair band between his teeth he began to gather up his damp hair, pulling it into that signature pony tail. All the while burying any foolish notion that he could rejoin his boy. He marveled over how utterly blind he'd been, that outburst in the library had been such a clear sign. He could not give Inuyasha the answers he so rightfully deserved. Because the mere fact that he was even speaking to his son, put Inuyasha and his wife Kagome in mortal danger. He knew better, gods rot it all he was supposed to know better! He had been warned not to seek his loved ones, forbidden to even see them and yet here he was.

With a last fix of his pony tail he flicked his hair back over his shoulder and let his hands drop to his sides. Letting the terms of his existence sink back in and quell the rebellion of his heart, while dismissing the illusion of hope he seemed to so fond of conjuring up from time to time. No matter what he felt or what hope he dared cling to, the truth was that some day he would be called back and there was absolutely nothing he could do to stop It.

Unless the Shikome managed to kill him first that is. For the last time he allowed himself to take in the elegant beauty of the bathroom, though now it had lost all it's charm with his subdued mood. Shaking his head, he cleared his thoughts for the task that still loomed ahead of him as he turned to gather his clothes and dress.

Off in the meeting room of the house, Inuyasha paced back and forth, his crimson hakama rustling softly with every step. With his arms folded over his chest the hanyou looked every bit as impatient as he felt. Though his annoyances were nothing compared to the down right volatile look the Alpha of the wolf demons was giving him as her narrowed eyes followed the pacing boy. Koki, this time without her usual consort, sat there, drumming her fingers on the table top while she tried to absorb the information brought before her.

With Koki also at the table was Kagome; who kept herself busy for the moment by leafing through the book of fairy tales. The young miko was waiting for Koki to make even just a peep, after having been hit with what essentially was a bomb shell about the creatures that they faced. The wolf woman was still bitter and resentful toward them when she'd been first contacted, and made sure they were very well aware of that. But after being told that they were essentially facing one of the handmaidens of an underworld goddess, who was still hell bent on finishing the task she was dispatched to do thousands of years ago, Koki had fallen dead silent.

The entire room was silent for the span of thirty minutes, except for the sound of Inuyasha's foot steps on the polished wooden floor. As time went on the sound became a little unnerving, causing Kagome to turn to her husband and wave a hand at him to draw his attention. "Why don't you take a rest? You're pacing around like you are raring to go."

"That's because I am! The longer we sit here the more destruction that Shikome is causing, the stronger she's getting. We should be getting ready to go find her!" Inuyasha snapped as he whirled abruptly around on a heel to face to the table.

"Find her, then do what?" Koki suddenly replied in a deadpan tone, finally seeing an opportunity to unleash her simmering fury. Fueled by frustration and the overwhelming sense of dread, she slapped a hand down on the table and closed her eyes. "We need to think of a plan, think of something, if there even is anything we can do."

The chill in Koki's tone made Kagome shiver, there was such a echo of sadness that she began to worry that the Alpha had already given up. Leaning over the table she tried to look the wolf demon in the face. "Yes, we need a plan, a plan that can defeat her."

Opening her blue-green eyes Koki turned to gaze back into the hopeful expression of the miko beside her. For a brief moment she returned that look, but then a humorless smile drew over her face that was then followed by a laugh that sounded so bitter and cold that even Kagome's smile faded. "A plan to defeat her? How can you defeat her? Do you know how to kill what is basically a god!? Do you really think we are all strong enough to do such a thing?"

"If the prospect frightens you that much, then you are perfectly welcome to pack up your remaining wolves and flee from this place." A deep and stern voice echoed through the room emanating from the old demon who now stood in the doorway. It startled Inuyasha a little and he flashed his father an annoyed look. He'd not even heard him open the damned door!

In a furious huff Inuyasha opened his mouth to snap at his father, but there was something in the old demon's demeanor that seemed off. Swallowing back his words he instead stepped aside as the old dog made his way to a seat. Inuyasha in turn retreated back over to Kagome's side, and kept a wary eye on him.

Koki however was not so reserved, a fire lit up in her eyes as she glared daggers at the other demon. "How dare you! We are facing a monster capable of bringing down a god! Like you can stand there and claim you are not afraid yourself!? "

"The door is to your right M'lady." He responded coolly as he settled down at the table. Devoid of his armor the youkai was clad in a dark grey long sleeve shirt that was a little snug over his chest and a pair of form fitting black cargo pants; all in all nothing that seemed imposing or intimidating. Until one looked at him closely. There was ice in his eyes and his expression was unreadable, his posture was ridged and his tone lacked any hint of emotion.

It was enough to keep Inuyasha on guard as he settled himself between the old dog and Kagome. Something was not right, though for some reason he couldn't bring himself to dare get between him and Koki. Even Kagome who could already see yet another fight brewing between the two demons remained quiet and quite rooted to her spot. Looking on apprehensively she could practically see the alpha's blood pressure rising.

Koki planted both hands on the table as she slowly pushed herself to a stand, her furious glare locked on the demon across the table from her. " You really do like pissing me off dog, if you honestly think you can-"

"There is no room in this dangerous mission for frightened wolves. If you cannot do this M'lady then no one is forcing you to. Take your wolves and run." There was no room left for argument, the look in his eyes was neither of anger nor annoyance. In fact there was nothing in them, it was as if he was all business.

Standing there in silence Koki could not help but let her anger drain away. The terms were laid out plainly before her. After a few long moments of tense silence, the Alpha slowly sank back down to her seat. Growling under her breath. "As if two dogs and a Miko can handle this alone? Don't be ridiculous, the wolves will not run."

Kagome then let out the breath that she wasn't aware she was holding through her still clenched teeth. The charge in the air finally defused as the Alpha at last calmed down. Though it all still left one question hanging in the air. " So do you have a plan to kill the Shikome?"

"I do not know of a way to kill a god and I highly doubt that all our strength combined could ever accomplish such a feat." His gaze drifted from one hopeless expression to the next before he raised a finger up in point. "However, this does not mean that we cannot send her back to the underworld."

"Then who do we know that can open a door way to the after life?" Koki asked in a mix of curiosity and skepticism. It was not unheard of for a very powerful entity to have a means of reaching the after life. But in this modern age, creatures like that were pretty much all extinct.

"I can." Inuyasha perked up and answered in such a casual way that it nearly made Koki keel sideways out of her seat! Turning his attention to the old dog Inuyasha then pulled the Tetsusaiga out from under the kneel-to table and set it down in clear view. " I did manage to take the Meidou Zangutsa from Sesshoumaru."

"Tetsusaiga doesn't open the Meidou in the same full circle as Tenseiga did though." Kagome quickly added as her gaze fell to the tattered old katana. The theory though still worked even if the method would be tedious. " We can still send her into the underworld however if you can catch her in the Meidou."

"There is an issue with that," Interrupting the pair the old demon's gaze also trailed to his old sword. It looked clean and well cared for, the sight of which brought a little warmth to his heart. " the problem is that the Shikome knows about the Tetsusaiga's power, you have already fought her power once and the black goo touched the blade. This means that she could very well have learned of what power the fang holds and will be wise to it."

"That is our only choice though isn't it?" Inuyasha reached down to pick up the steel fang, drawing his finger tips over the polished scabbard. "Even if we could get Tenseiga the sword has already lost all it's power. It'll never heal anyone ever again never mind open a path to the Meidou. Tetsusaiga is our only option."

That news caught the old youkai off guard and left him feeling a small sense of loss to say the least. As that information sank in his gaze dropped to the table top before him, granted he knew the power of his swords would not last forever, though he honestly thought that the Steel Crushing Fang would expire before the Healing blade. To hear that Tenseiga has lost all of it's power was disturbing, though he quickly stopped himself from asking anything further. Reminding himself that now was not the time. "Yes there is another option, I am capable of opening the Meidou myself."

Silence fell over the room once again, as the three other table occupants looked between one another. Each one having a hard time believing the stroke of luck here, suddenly the Dark Queen, that they had only seen as sitting on a pedestal high above their reach. was knocked down a few pegs. After several long minutes of contemplation Inuyasha finally broke the hush. "So then; are you going to need Tetsusaiga?"

His posture relaxed a little bit as he noticed the change in the air, at last the hostilities were gone and he had the rapt attention of all three. Even the wolf seemed genuinely interested in the conversation, her face no longer held a twisted mask of arrogance. "I could not take Tetsusaiga now even if I wished to Inuyasha, the blade sees only you as it's master now." Still he gave a small smile to his son's offer before he continued. "That does not prevent me from opening a door to the afterlife, however I am limited."

"How limited?" Koki nearly growled as she propped an elbow on the table, looking on the verge of reverting back to her hostile nature at the sound of a possible catch-22.

Realizing that he was on the verge of falling right back to square one with the alpha, the youkai motioned with a hand to calm her. " Limited in the fact that I will need to scavenge for a few items and make preparations." His attention then turned to the hanyou and Miko. " The major limitation however is that I can only open the meidou in a predetermined and fixed location. Once the Meidou is open I have no control of it, nor will I know how long it can be sustained."

"Long as you can open that portal Old Man I'll figure out how to get that Shikome's ass through it." Inuyasha quickly retorted with a grin, his grip tightened on the sword in anticipation.

Kagome sat up with the sudden charge of excitement. "Inuyasha and I will look for the Shikome, I'm sure that both of you can follow our trail?" She paused a moment and waited for a confirming nod from each of the youkai, though she was addressing her father-in-law in particular. "Then Inuyasha and I will get a head start, we wont make a move until you meet up with us."

"We'll try not to anyway." Inuyasha grumbled under his breath.

"Then that leaves the Nuribotoke for the wolves," Koki added then, now looking quite hopeful about the whole issue as she rose from her seat. "I am assuming that once the Shikome is cast back into the underworld that her power over these monsters will fade. We'll keep the monsters busy."

"That is my hope as well M'lady." It was his only hope in defeating this creature and saving the city really. If this plan failed then they were probably going to be caught between a rock and a hard place because there was no plan B. Though he kept that ill thought to himself, the air was filled with positive energy from the three's heightened moral.

Inuyasha was the first to start for the door, his love's hand clasped in his own while he led the way. He stopped for only a moment at the threshold to shoot his father a daring look. "Don't get lost Old Man, we'll be waiting for you." Kagome though shook her head, this was Inuyasha showing a little concern in his own round-about way.

"Fret not over me Inuyasha, focus on the task before you as it is the most difficult of the three. The Shikome moves quickly and you will have to as well if you hope to find her." He warned; though perhaps he felt a little touched by the hanyou's words and gave a little nod. His son returned the nod with a smirk before leaving the room, his mate in tow.

Koki didn't even bother to grace him with another word when she also left the chamber on the couple's heels, leaving him alone in the meeting room.

He sighed softly and leaned an elbow on the table. His gaze turned to an empty seat beside him as he grumbled under his breath. "My only challenge however, is how exactly can I open the meidou?" A soft sigh escaped his lips as he settled himself to think. The demonic magic was certainly within him, as long ago the Tetsusaiga absorbed the power of other demons it thus channeled the yoroyouku into himself. There was no question as to weather he had it in him. However, never had he tried to launch the attack without the aid of his weapons.

Well, perhaps that wasn't entirely true.

The Meidou Stone he'd given to his first wife was proof of that, though it was true that the stone itself had been a specific kind of gemstone. One that took well to magic; Dragon's Heart Obsidian. Unfortunately it was also quite a rare gemstone, and back before he'd given it to his first wife the mysterious stone came into his possession out of luck. Luck was not something he could count on now, nor did he think he could find it or any other artifacts capable of carrying demonic energy. Chewing on his lower lip he stared at the wall across the room and picked over his dilemma.

How was he to do this without an artifact? Could he take a normal item and enchant it? Would it even work? He knew well enough that any common objects made by human hands could not hold his power, even weak as it was now. Or could they? A dark brow arched as he gave the blank wall a thoughtful look, muttering softly under his breath. "It needs to only work once doesn't it? We have only one chance to trap this deity regardless on if I can open only a single meidou or a thousand."

His soft chuckle followed as he closed his eyes and silently reprimanded himself about how quick he was to make a decision based on only a few details instead of stepping back to see the whole picture. When he opened his eyes again he thanked the wall for it's time and rose from his seat.

In his mind the pieces of the plan were beginning to fall into place. The first part of his plan, however, was the most crucial and once he was out in the hall he took a moment to draw a slow deep breath. He tested the air for the scents of the items he would need for his spell, which were swords. What his nose picked up though was a curious mix of steel and other scents, his brows knitted a little as he tried to ponder over what he'd smelled while he started off down the hall.

The first sword he came across was sitting at the foot of a full set of Samurai armor. It looked like a fine weapon at first with it's polished maple wood scabbard and dark blue wrap. The steel though looked strange, as he tilted the blade to the light it seemed a little too shiny. Crinkling his nose a little he took the blade with both hands and bent it, looking on in disappointment as the steel buckled and remained in an L shape once he released it. This was what he feared, the blade was only for show and not a properly forged weapon! With a sigh he did his best to bend the blade back into something like it's original shape and carefully stuffed it back into the scabbard, leaving the sword as he found it in the display.

The second sword he found was hanging off of a wall rack along with a few others, just as before he pulled each of the blades out to inspect and just as before he was disappointed. One sword bent in his grasp, the other was so soft and malleable that it's blade could be twisted into a cork screw! The final sword meanwhile snapped like a brittle twig showing him in fragments of steel. "Unbelievable! Are all the weapons in this home for decoration only?" He growled at the cork screw sword as he propped the amusing looking weapon back in it's spot.

It maybe true that humans had not needed swords in over a hundred years, but he still could not understand why anyone would want these cheap little knock offs. Leaving the rack he turned to gaze upon the rest of the quaint looking room. It had had a very traditional air to it but now everything felt as fake and cheap as the blades he'd found. Tucking his hands into his pockets the demon gave an annoyed little huff. "It amazes me how Sesshoumaru has lived with this family for generations yet does not show them what quality swords are?"

Or had he?

His eyes rolled up a little as the realization of what could possibly be there hit him. He almost wanted to shake his head to the sudden notion but instead held his judgments. Turning his nose up to the air he sniffed about for the scent of his son, even if he found himself to be a little reluctant to investigate. Should he really be pressing his luck here by invading his son's sanctuary? It was not that he feared detection, there were wards placed upon him that erased his presence, scent and all. No, it was something else that fueled his reluctance. The morality behind it and his honor to say the least. Simply put, he felt like a parent who was invading his adult child's bedroom!

Steeling his wits the old demon turned to follow his eldest son's scent, yet as made his way along he began to notice a few curiosities. The biggest being that Sesshoumaru's scent seemed to be almost absent through out much of the house. When he first arrived here he caught the scent easily enough while he was outside although it had been very faint at the time besides that his mind had been in a state that could not process the significance of that detail properly. Now that he was actually paying attention he began to wonder. Could Sesshoumaru also hide his scent?

Inuyasha's words rang through his head once more, _Sesshoumaru is a Shisa_, a house guardian. That fact still amazed him to no end and only seemed to lend more into his confusion. Why did the house he was supposed to guard lack so much of his scent? That question echoed in his mind while his foot steps similarly echoed along the hall that was leading him to an eerie part of the house. His clawed fingertips brushed along the wall in search of a light switch, only to realize it was a wasted effort. He needed only to look up to see that the hall lacked light fixtures. In their place were oil lamps hanging from the walls.

That wasn't the only modern convenience missing from the hall, this wing of the house lacked the scent of plastic piping and copper wire, even the polished floor held the scent of an old kind of lacquer varnish. Where the rest of the house just mimicked an old feel, this part was actually authentic through and through, down to the very last detail. This discovery raised even more curious questions in his mind as he peered through the darkness.

At last he encountered a set of ornate sliding doors. Just beyond them the scent of his eldest son was quite strong. Though it was intermixed with something else that brought with it a feeling of concern in the old youkai.

The very moment he stepped into the room he was swallowed up in darkness so thick that he doubted any flame or light would ever be able to penetrate it! What was worse, was that which he felt churning somewhere within the depths of that darkness. It was feelings of sadness, anger and hatred. These ingrained emotions swirled around him like ghosts, adding to his already mounting suspicions.

Narrowing his eyes to the darkness the old dog turned to his nose to help him find a window. Following the scent of fresh air with an outstretched hand he waved it slowly around until his fingertips brushed against a polished wooden shutter.

With a sense of relief he pulled the shutters open and let the sunlight pour into the room and burn away the darkness like a morning fog, thus confirming his suspicion. This darkness was little more than residual demonic energy, it commonly collected on objects or in places that were used often by youkai. And in this case it formed into a cloud that filled the room. This coupled with the strong scent of his son the youkai came to the conclusion that he lived only in this part of the house.

Not that he could blame his son for it! He was so focused on the retreating cloud of youki that when his eyes finally swept around the room he was struck with slack jawed awe! From the floor boards, to the decorative paintings lining the walls to the very furniture itself: everything was a perfectly reproduced piece from home! His home, the castle hidden in the mists, it was as if someone removed one of it's elegant chambers and placed it right here!

After a few moments of open gawking he closed his mouth and let his eyes wander around the room more systematically. He Looked over the lacquered shelves laden with scroll tubes and twine bound books lining the walls, along the floors where many maple wood displays held delicate pottery work while others bore hand painted vases from the main land and lastly a large statue of a foo dog carved from a demons bone guarded the door. It's square jaws were parted wide in a fang filled snarl as it sat on it's haunches.

The sight of the room filled his heart with delight until his eyes fell onto a large wooden desk. Unlike the other furnishings it had been oiled and polished until the warm hues of the oak wood were sealed beneath a glass like finish. Yet there was something more that seemed to bother him about this kneel level desk. The awe of the room began to fade with every step he took closer to that desk. A tinge of sadness and confusion dampened the joy in his heart when he knelt down behind it and propped his elbow over the edge.

Silently he studied the patterns of the wood grain beneath the polished surface, taking note of all the tiny scratches and nicks. Each one causing a spark of memory to light, memories that he could not keep locked away. They seeped through the cracks in his mental defenses like water in a wooden box. His gaze drifted to the double doors directly in front of the desk. In his minds eye those doors opened to a beautiful garden filled with a multitude of flowers. When opened they would've Let in the fresh air and sweet floral scents, along with the memories of a small pup scampering among them. A small pup hunting butterflies and digging dens in the flower beds.

He remembered when that pup finally could transform, how he would peek up over the veranda and spy on him while he worked. Waiting for the right moment to sneak in and steal rice cakes off the tea plate that always seemed to be just within his reach. He remembered the afternoons when he would ask for a sweet to go with his tea, only to leave the plate right on the edge of this desk, the sweet uneaten. He remembered the rainy days where that pup would sit in front of the open doors and glare outside at the storm clouds, discontent that he could not play outside. He remembered telling him stories to pass the time, sometimes he would act out the good parts and the pup would join him!

One by one these memories surfaced from a time long lost when he had sat in this study to pour over maps and pick through scrolls while spending time with his young son. This very study.

Golden eyes slowly drew over the room around him, a room he knew all too well with nearly everything reproduced to the last detail. With a heavy heart and a head full of confusion he sat there for a few long minutes and struggled to make sense of it all while whispering softly to himself. " He wishes nothing more than my death yet he brings this of all rooms back here to live in? "

It was all too tempting to think that his son missed those days about as much as he did. Until the bitter memory of a snowy day not too long ago, where he'd seen his son for the first time in hundreds of years and discovered his searing hatred for him! Startled by that notion he snapped out of his dreaming daze, already feeling the wicked fangs of depression nipping at the back of his mind. This time however he refused to give in and firmly banished it from his head while his clawed hands rubbed at his face.

"Do not fall into the clutches of that misery again, you cannot afford such a setback now!" Through out the room his voice echoed, shattering the silence that had up until now been so deafening. Cutting through the emotions that raged within him while bringing his sights back to perspective. There was a time and place for everything and thus he locked all these little emotions and memories, both the good and bad, away to ponder over later. Turning his attention to the curiosity that he'd first encountered in here instead.

He could not help thinking that there was a story somewhere within these four walls, though that story would be meaningless unless that Shikome was defeated. Giving a little mushroom sigh the old demon pushed off the desk and rose from his seat. The parent in him wanted to know what was wrong with his son, but the cold truth shadowed even his best of intentions and he reluctantly let it go. This did not stop him though from fixing the cushion he'd been sitting on however. It was bad enough he was invading his son's privacy, at the very least he could leave some things as he'd found them.

He spied what he sought after; it was proudly displayed on a set of elegant antlers that served as a weapons rack. The antlers stood three feet high and looked like they may have come off the head of a once mighty stag. Perched across each curving horn was a set of five swords of varying sizes and slightly different shapes. With care he picked one of the weapons and slid the blade free of the scabbard. Unlike the previous blades this one bore scratches and scrapes from use. More importantly the steel had a distinctive wave pattern over it's surface, something the junk swords lacked. Gingerly he took a hold of the blade and like before he bent it.

The steel flexed without cracking and bounced back to it's original shape once he released it. The result of a skilled sword smith's hammer folding the hot steel over and over again, and creating a sword that was both flexible and razor sharp. How good the smith's crafting skill actually was however would be seen when he put it to the test later on. It was a lucky break even if he found it difficult to feel any sense of relief. There was something that seemed to gnaw at him, even more than his honor balking at this blatant theft of his son's personal belongings.

The blade caught his reflection as he turned it over in his hands and revealed a scowl on his face. There was more to this feeling, something he'd overlooked or perhaps just turned a blind eye to. Something that he might has subconsciously chosen to ignore until now. " Where are you Sesshoumaru? " His words echoed with through the empty room as he stared at the weapon clutched in his hands.

"Our home land is under threat and you are not here, Shisa be damned you are a Youkai Lord first!" His own words left him nearly shaking, here was a terrible threat and Sesshoumaru was nowhere to be found! Had Sakagami not contacted him personally, Inuyasha would have faced this threat alone! The fates only knew what would have happened to his youngest son without the aid and guidance of his older brother. There was little doubt that Sesshoumaru would have come to the same conclusion as he did, considering he taught his boy everything he knew of the supernatural world both great and small.

All at once a wave of bitter disappointment came over him as he wondered what more his ungrateful son would want? He had everything a dog could ever want in their lives, a home, freedom and a family! Why was he not here to defend it?! Could Sesshoumaru still be out somewhere searching for him in Russia or even China? Would he even go through such lengths when it has been months since he fled the snow filled lands of the north and took refuge in Huaa Tongs home?

What had he done wrong? What could he have done wrong? They had barely laid eyes on one another and Sesshoumaru turned on him! Could he still blame him for what happened hundreds of years ago when he took a human wife? From that moment on Sesshoumaru lost his respect for him and was quite vocal about it, in turn he lost all ability to trust his own eldest son and he was vocal about that.

Yet to think this was all over a grudge that was hundreds of years old only disheartened the old youkai. Even if his son felt that he'd turned his back on them and lowered himself from what his son felt was a proper demon lord. Was this terrible hatred really warranted that snowy night? The sight of his sons face twisted in rage and the pure venom laced through in his hateful words still haunted him. Never in all his life would he have ever thought his own flesh and blood that he'd raised since a whelp would suddenly just...

_**CRACK! **_

The scabbard could not withstand the iron clad grip of the enraged youkai and snapped like a twig! The sound bringing him back from the edge and diffusing the darkness that clouded his mind. Closing his eyes he let out a controlled breath through his clenched fangs and uncurled his fingers to release the splintered wood. Letting the scabbard clatter loudly on the floor along with it his ill feelings and horrible thoughts.

There was a time and place for everything, at this moment he needed to save these thoughts and forget about the son who had left a hole in both his heart and his pride. Once he was finally composed he turned his attention back to the task at hand, collecting the remaining swords. There was simply too much at stake here to allow himself to be distracted by personal matters. Using a leather cord pulled from a display he carefully bound the weapons together into a bundle. Making it easier to carry them all as he hefted them over a shoulder. He paused for a final moment to look over the room once again. Taking one last look at his old study, before he bid it farewell.

Chapter 36...End.


	37. Seeking

Chapter 37: Seeking.

The surface of the black pool trembled at the touch of a single slender fingertip. The oily substance flowing and ebbing beneath the power of her hand; distorting the reflection of her face in strange ways before it was finally swallowed up into the darkness. A ripple of power crackled over the pool before an image formed, allowing her to witness the armies of her monsters locked in battle. With who she did not look into, nor did she care. For it did not matter what her beautiful children took down. In the end they would all rise again from death to serve her with undying loyally.

"Such futile struggles," She whispered softly to the pool, rousing a smaller nuribotoke that was curled by her feet like a pet. "May their struggles end quickly for in death they shall be claimed by me!" A hiss wove through the latter part of that sentence as she drew away from the pool. Wrapping her arms around herself as her dark eyes scanned the sanctuary she had found shelter in. Pools of black goo were scattered along the floors while trickles of darkness crept up the walls.

Hidden in the darkness were several of her monsters, lying in wait and ever alert, always longing for her words. Just like children, her beautiful nuribotoke would gather around her. Eager for her command, ready to carry out even the most dangerous of tasks. After all, what did that have to fear when even death was not absolute? A look of pain crossed over her face as the answer dredged itself from the corners of her memory.

Yes there was something her children had to fear, that creature! That monstrous man-creature that roamed the city streets, stealing the souls of her children and severing her power over them! Twice she cursed that creature and mourned the loss of so many at his hands. How dare such a beast meddle in the affairs of his betters! He was nothing more than…

What was he? This is what bothered the Shikome the most, she simply could not tell what that creature even was! At first one would think he was a youkai but there was more to him. Or more accurately, something within him that she could sense but not place a finger on. In her minds eye she conjured up an image of the demon, standing before her, clutching those wicked blades that pulsed with a power as old as the gods themselves. She remembered looking into his eyes of brilliant gold and seeing a shadow deep within them. As if something else was looking through them.

Or maybe it was someone else?

Then there was that unsettling feeling in the pit of her stomach, the kind of feeling you get when you knew you'd seen someone before. A feeling of familiarity, of recognition yet not enough so to put a name to the face. Despite her vast memory of faces and names, nearly all of her victims, all the souls that passed her into the yoma. She knew them all and would soon enough add his name to her memory the moment she tore his old tattered soul from that spell bound flesh. For that desire seemed to flare with the very thought of ending his life, yes there was something deep within her. This creature had to die.

A soft smile drew over her black painted lips while a petite hand softly caressed the cheek of a nuribotoke curled beside her. Whispering to the beast in a tone that was as soft as the night time breeze. "He is dangerous, I know this well my children. But he is only one and we are many, we will strip him of the mortals that he has banded with." Sinking down to her knees beside the rumbling monster, she softly pressed her cheek against the beasts head. " I will pick all of them off one by one. Snuffing out their life forces right before his eyes, before I savor him for last."

The depths of those dark eyes took on an eerie glow, the monsters around her rising from their restful states at the silent signal. Shadows welling up from the walls around her, all summoned by ancient and terrible magic. The entire mass on the move with a silent command as the Shikome watched on. "To find that creature we will need to find one of his mortals." Her smile only grew then for she already knew where one of those mortals was.

…

A fire burned cheerfully from within the warped rim of a trucks wheel, the center piled high with splintered bits of wood any anything else he could find to fuel it. It's warm light chasing away the darkness of the partially collapsed warehouse, leaving shadows dancing around the form of the old Daiyoukai and his stash of swords. Bit by bit he continued to feed the fire with carefully selected scraps of materials, building up it's intensity little by little. If this was to work he would need a flame hot enough to cook steel even though he harbored the small fear that these blades just might melt instead!

A rat scurried about just beyond the reach of the warm light, drawing his attention away for a moment at the sounds of it's scratching paws. Ever since he'd walked away from his son's home he'd felt a little subdued, perhaps even a little embarrassed. Though he did his best to not let it effect the task at hand, not allowing himself to lapse back into that state of mind he forcefully dismissed the past day's memories. By now he should be used to the fact that his head was a battle ground for the wars that raged between his heart and his reality.

The reality was right now that he needed to somehow imbed his demonic power into five man made weapons. Weak weapons at that. As the fire burned with a deep red core over a bed of brightly glowing coals, he carefully laid out the first of the swords. Watching as the chrome shine of the blade darkened in the searing heat. The sight of which was not helping him dispel the feeling of skepticism over this little plan.

He was no stranger to wielding human made weapons, however his demonic power was almost always too much for them. It was like a copper electrical wire, if too much current tried to travel through it the wire would burn up. Much the same way, beautifully crafted steel that would otherwise cleave a samurai's helmet in half, withered and practically melted when his demonic power flowed through it. What he was attempting here was a trick he'd learned from watching Toutousai work at his forge.

Granted though he was not a sword smith, nor was he going to pretend to be one, he'd simply destroyed enough swords in his time to have learned a thing or two. At least he knew what to look for. Once the blade began to develop an ash colored crust he knew the blade was ready and continued on to the next step. Curling a clawed hand into an awkward fist, he pressed the tips of his claws into his palm and cupped his other hand over it. Gritting his teeth he abruptly drove his fist into his other hand, clutching it tightly as blood began to well through his fingers.

Sucking in a breath between his fanged teeth he waited for the wave of pain to lose it's edge before releasing his hand. Keeping it balled up while the other carefully removed the sword from the flames. With great care he dripped blood along the heated blade, watching it sizzle and dance over the steel with a critical eye. The blood bubbled as it burned into the steel, leaving streaks of black over the ashen surface. When the last of it had sizzled away over the steel he dribbled a little more, repeating the process until he could hear a crackling sound emanating from the blade.

That was a sound made by each layer of steel as it began to buckle under the demonic power that coursed through it. Telling him that he'd reached the blades limit, it had been faster than anticipated and he silently hoped this would be enough. Setting the sword down onto the concrete to cool he scooped up the next blade and set it onto the flames next. If this plan worked, he would have five demonically possessed swords for his use. If the swords were the quality that he'd hoped they were, then they would hold intact while opening the meidou. If his blood magic was still as strong as before his untimely death, then he should be able to keep the portal to the underworld in his control.

That was already one to many "ifs" for his liking, but unless he became lucky and found demonic weapons lying around somewhere, then this was his best shot. After a few hours of painful work the end result was five swords resonating some demonic power between them. Sitting back he lightly licked the wounds over his palm while intently scrutinizing his work before him. The first stage of his plan was finished and this was only the easy part, the trial-by-fire was yet to come.

Though his eyes wandered to his personal weapons laying by his side. The wicked looking twin swords that he'd carried as a hunter. Long ago he learned that they were not demonic in nature, they were forged with a power that was far older. Perhaps even the earliest of forms of magic. Could the swords carry his power? Yes they can and have, as he could unleash a form of the Kaze No kizu using them as proof. However there in lay the evidence, the magic simply did not work the same way as a true demonic weapon could. The magic within these weapons was something beyond even his full understanding and if there was one unwise thing in this world, it was depending on magic you did not understand.

Losing interest in his wounded hand he idly picked up one of those wicked swords to study. His gaze wandering over the black metal adorned in small black stones that formed a pattern of scales in places. The entire blade flowed in a gentle curve that was half way lined with wickedly sharp hooks. Once stabbed there was little chance of escape, not without suffering grave damage.

These swords were not given to him for protection, they are tools for the hunt. Crafted specifically to slay magical creatures and harvest their souls. Silently he studied the flow of the blade between his fingers, his mind mulling over those sad little facts. Despair was becoming to close of a friend with him, closing his eyes he banished all the negative thoughts. Reprimanding himself. Stop focusing on what you lack and concentrate on what you have.

When he finally opened his eyes, there was a spark of determination within them. Let whatever happened be, he'd assure himself at the very least that those he cared for would not be weathered and taken by this Shikome. With that vowed the dark cloud over his heart lifted a little and he set the wicked sword down. Turning his attention back to his work as he carefully picked up one of the charred blades, taking care that it was cool enough to handle. Turning it carefully over while running his fingers over the steel. Only the tiniest bit of ash came off, meaning his blood had successfully integrated into the weapon.

A satisfied smirk drew over his face as he picked up each blade one by one to give them a final inspection. Gathering them all into a pile and binding them together with a length of leather twine. Picking up a container of water, he put out the fire with a splash. The hot coals sizzling unhappily as smoke poured from the tire rim. The youkai paying it no further heed as he geared himself up to track his son and the miko down.

Completely unaware of the eyes watching him from outside.

…..…

By now he should have been used to this, however Inuyasha still found the sight of the destroyed city hard to digest. Even if he did not call this place home, the sight of the toppled buildings and the ever present stench of decay brought him a sense of sorrow. Perched on the wreckage that had once been a semi truck the hanyou looked out over the street. Keeping guard over the scene while Kagome picked her way through the scattered debris and broken ground. In her hands a crystal hung by a thin chain, swinging back and forth with every step. Forcing her to measure every movement with care as she crossed the street.

At first glance she looked like she was on to something. Though the look of frustration on her face however told the hanyou that she was not having an easy time in her efforts. Reading crystals was a tricky business for even a seasoned spiritualist, which Kagome wasn't quite to that level yet. Not that Inuyasha could bring himself to trust the _wibbly wobblings _of a pretty little rock to find the dark queen anyway. Yet it was all they had at the moment and the hanyou could not think of anything better.

Sinking to a crouch on the edge of the trailer, his golden eyes followed after the form of the young miko. Watching as she carefully raised her feet one at a time, keeping her motions smooth as possible only to make a discontent sound when she accidentally knocked the crystal around. To make matters even more difficult, a strong wind was beginning to pick up, whipping soot and dirt about as it blew through the streets.

Inuyasha had little choice but to look away from the scene, raising his crimson sleeve to shield his face. Catching sight of a crumpled can of soda as it tumbled from out of nowhere and came to rest on the ground a few feet away. His eyes narrowing on it as it lay there in a puddle of dust, a furry ear twitching back. This whole idea seemed simple, if the Shikome's power was flowing through these invisible lines of magic, then the pendulum should be able to detect it. Then they could follow it back to the Dark Queen where he could pick from a neatly compiled list of ways he'd love to destroy her!

Of course, he compiled that list after conveniently forgetting that she could not be destroyed. Considering she was a deity and no one they knew had anything that could kill a god. Not that they had any hope at this rate of even finding her! Blinded by hope, they had dove head first into this plan without thinking it through enough! Now they were dealing with their mistakes, like not factoring the environment that they would have to work in. Not to mention, they neglected to consider a plan B in the event the crystal was unable to find anything.

"Oh this is hopeless!" A furry ear perked to Kagome's whimper, the boy taking a moment to blame all their ill luck on the soda can he was glaring at before turning back around. The miko had sunk to her knees on the broken tarmac, bracing herself with a raised arm as the winds brought another wave of dust to whip through her hair and skirts. She looked miserable and defeated, prompting the hanyou to leap off the truck and hurry to her side. Drawing a hand along her back in a comforting gesture.

"Maybe we're looking in the wrong place? " In truth they had decided to start their search at the last place they had encountered the Shikome's power. The building that was serving as a focusing point of her magic. Though it seemed like they were trading safety for progress as they has circled the dilapidated area twice now with nothing to show for their efforts.

"The fairy paths should still be here even thought they aren't being used anymore. " Kagome sighed in discontent as she fidgeted with the crystal. "But I can't find it anywhere." It was like looking for a dead electrical line hidden in the ground. A hopeless effort no matter how strong the electrical meter was.

"You could feel it before without the pendulum." He gave an exasperated little huff before turning his gaze back to that soda can. Blaming it again out of frustration. "I bet you they're dormant now and all the metal and concrete around us is concealing it. Fairies don't like metal for a reason."

"Then we'll have to go to one of the other of the Shikome's power points and work from there. " Kagome idly followed her husband's gaze, wondering why he was glaring daggers at a crumpled soda can. Before she could ask however he gave a snort.

Inuyasha had been against the idea from the start, the remaining two power points were very dangerous. Between the violent energy whipping around them and the monsters that heavily guarded the area, there was a slim chance that they could catch a break long enough to find anything. "We don't have the time to search for miles around those things." With his frustrations reaching a boiling point the boy could not sit still any longer. Rising to his feet he began to pace about. Studying the area as if he could find something Kagome might have missed.

Dropping her hands into her lap Kagome sat silent for a moment, watching him prowl the area in search of nothing. Bracing herself as another strong gust of wind whipped through the broken streets. Blinding her momentarily with her blue black hair. " Inuyasha let's get out of here," She sighed as she brushed lingering locks back from her face. " there is nothing more for us here unless we're lucky enough to find a magical line that is still active."

"Yeah, I think Fairies have been gone from these lands for hundreds of years now, so I doubt these will go active anytime soon." Not that he could be sure of that, personally he'd only encountered a handful of the secretive creatures. They were not abundant around here like in other places, least that was what he could tell from stories. Though that could be attributed to the fact that many creatures that were called 'fairies' elsewhere were called youkai here.

That thought caused him to stop pacing and stare thoughtfully at the area around him, his gaze falling on that soda can once more. Drawing Kagome's attention back to him, quietly waiting for him to give her a hint of what he could be thinking about. After a few long minutes of nothing she cast the can a glance herself before finally biting. "So…what is so fascinating about the Soda can? I thought you hated the stuff." Inuyasha tended to hate carbonated beverages, claimed he could feel it bubbling in his stomach.

"Get that pendulum ready Kagome and give me a few meters." Looking about a moment he figured that where he was standing was no better than anywhere else. Drawing the Tetsusaiga from his side he clutched the bade before him as it flared with the transformation.

That earned him a puzzled look from the young miko. Pushing herself back to her feet she brushed off her skirts as she studied his movements. He had an idea and she could guess what it was. "Your demonic aura is going to interfere with the crystal, Inuyasha. "

"That's why I asked to give me a few yards." The snap was unjustified, but his patience was already worn thin from the start. Flipping the blade around, he buried the tip into the ground and clutched the hilt with both hands. " My demonic aura is weak compared to other youkai. But I think there is enough that I can power up one of these lines myself."

It was an odd notion, could youki flow through a fairie's line? Well, there was only one way to find out! With a look of determination on her face Kagome nodded once and quickly backed away. Dangling the crystal by it's chain over her hand and silently watching as it fell still. Inuyasha meanwhile closed his eyes and focused on himself.

Dealing with his youki was often a frustrating thing, he simply did not have the control of it that other demon's possessed. Often when his demon power grew too strong it would could control him instead! Pushing him deep into the territory of madness that drove him into a blood thirsty rage. Only the Tetsusaiga could help him temper it, but even then he could not confidently say it was under his complete control. Focusing on the sword alone in his hands he felt the gentle trickle of power flowing through his fingertips and along the blade. Spreading the demonic energy down below his feet at a slow but steady pace, searching for the path of least resistance.

Kagome stared at the crystal in her hands, watching the bauble as it spun lazily in the breeze. Waiting for what felt like an eternity as questions began to bubble into her head. Did she even know what she was doing? Was this the right crystal? What if the problem was her and not the magical line? The doubts began to build in her heart and she drew a shuddering breath to steady them. Accidentally tampering with the crystal once more as her hand moved, adding to her despair. This was hopeless! Even with Inuyasha's help there was nothing she could do! On the verge of tears she watched the little crystal swing and swing.

It wouldn't stop swinging, for a moment she thought that she was trembling. But her hand was steady as could be! Silently she watched the stone, her lips parted in awe as it began to dance on it's chain. Swinging in circles as if searching for something, following the flow of Inuyasha's demonic power. Before her eyes the pendulum spun it's last and hung in the air at an angle of only a few degree's . With great care she began to move, sliding her feet along the ground as she turned.

The crystal would swing once with her movement, then lock again in the same direction. It was working, it was finally working! She almost couldn't contain her excitement. Following the directions taught to her by Kaede, she checked several points around her, taking mental notes. The path leading her away from Inuyasha as she picked her along the destroyed streets. When at last the crystal point began to move and sway, as if caught in a current. Nothing could stop the smile that appeared on her face as she tried to quell the welling surge of excitement. She was standing right on top of the line of power! Her gaze following the flow out to the city.

"You found it?" Inuyasha's voice snapped her from that moment of awe, bringing her attention to the hanyou as he quickly joined her side. His eyes falling on the crystal as it fell lax in the miko's hands once more. Though the smile on her face told him everything, with a smirk of his own he sheathed the fang and growled.

"Lets go."

….…..

The attacking wave of monsters hit the hospital grounds with all the ferocity and violence of a tsunami. Monsters practically burst up through the damaged asphalt, some crawling out of sewer drains while more squeezed themselves out of every crack and crevice they could fit through! Many were greeted with a volley of bullets as police and military opened fired! A dangerous tactic as even bullets sometimes failed to kill some of these creatures.

Yet they needed to try, if only to buy time for the evacuation still going on behind them. The ambulance bays were swarmed with people, any vehicle that would run and could carry people was there being loaded up. To the eyes of the Demon Slayer standing on the rooftop, the scene below was of pure chaos! Gosan had been patrolling the parameter of the hospital grounds when he received the warning beacon from the command center. Running all the way back to the hospital from his guard post in the city, only to encounter the heart breaking sight below.

"Why is it that I am the one who is always stuck with you?" Riko's tongue was especially sharp, no thanks to that pink haired demon that escaped her. Placing the young woman in a foul mood as she approached her partner. Gosan rolled his eyes and stepped away from the roofs edge, casting the woman a patient look.

"Well Excuuuuuuuse me, Princess!" He snapped back. " Why don't you save that gripe for Sentei? Maybe he'll actually listen to you!" Although he did understand why the leader of the demon slayers split their forces this way, it didn't mean he had to like it. But before he could voice his discontent any further, the sounds of screams down below quickly put an end to their little spat. Gazing back over the roofs edge he reached for his guns.

"Don't waste the bullets Gosan, unless you have something that can blow the heads off those things your Glock pistols are useless." Riko cautioned as she shed her coat and geared up her glaives. " I got a message on my phone from Sentei, a helicopter is coming to pick up the remaining evacuees. You should go through the hospital and get anyone who is still in there to climb to the roof."

Why did these things have to come from underground? What could be down there helping these creatures travel. " I need to get down there." He muttered absently as he watched one of the monsters collapse with morbid fascination.

"After everyone is evacuated!" She hissed at her partner then and nudged him with her elbow. " Go and if you see a Pink haired woman, put a few bullets in her for me."

Gosan flinched a little to the venom in her words, he'd only heard snippets from Chousa about what happened in the hospital room. Riko had lost the one man who could have answered questions about that strange demon they encountered. She was not happy and he wisely kept his mouth shut as she climbed down over the edge of the roof.

Needless to say he was more than a little relieved to have the rooftop to himself once again. Turning on his heel he quickly made his way to the entrance that headed down into the bowels of the building. Carefully making his way down the broken staircase before pushing open the emergency doors as he thought to himself

'_A hospital was no place for a battle ground.'_

These words also echoed through Ryosei's head as she picked her way through the broken halls. Every step was treacherous, the earthquake had left cracks in the floors and walls, as well as thrown medical equipment around. Though really, even a clear floor would have done the female dog demon any favors right now. For perched on her back was the dead weight of an unconscious man. After fleeing the hospital room with her prize she made her escape, however when the going became tough she had little choice but to abandon Sakagami's wheel chair.

Forcing her to carry the man instead through the war zone within the hospital. As if the debris and pit falls were not enough she could hear the monsters prowling. Unfortunately for her, the halls were filled with corners and blind spots that were perfect places to launch an ambush! Crouching beside a corner on an intersection, she peered through the darkness while fighting back the urge to dump Sakagami off somewhere.

It was all too convenient of a thought really, to abandon this idiot and find a quick path to freedom outside. But then she would be breaking the promise she made and no doubt ruin her chances of getting close to that strange dog demon. There was something about him that drew her along, like a moth to a flame, a mystery that she wanted to unlock. Provided she could get them both out of this nightmarish labyrinth alive to do so!

Just when she thought she was safe, Sakagami stirred a little and gave a soft moan. Soft for human ears anyway, to the demoness however it managed to sound disturbingly loud in the near absolute silence of the hospital. Question was, did the lacquered skinned monsters hear it? Gritting her teeth she flashed the unconscious man a wicked look. Cursing under her breath as the sounds of scraping claws answered her unspoken question. Of course he would make noise once he was picked up from bed he'd laid silent as death in for days!

Fleeing her hiding place she stayed close to the wall while trying to put plenty of distance between herself and the sounds of clicking claws on linoleum behind her. Not an easy feat with all the junk piled in her path that only piled higher when part of the ceiling suddenly caved down right in front of her. Forcing the demoness to shield her face and turn away from the blast of debris, coughing from the choking dust carried with it.

When the last of ceiling finished coming down she cast the mess a look of contempt from behind a raised arm. If only she had taken the window out of Sakagami's room, instead of trying to search for an emergency exit that would bring them to ground level! When the earthquake struck Ryosei had thought for a moment that luck was on her side, until she encountered the first of the monsters!

If only she can taken that window, or found ANY damned window that didn't have a monster stuck in it for that matter! Then she could simply transform and escape! A snarl thundered somewhere behind her and without even bothering to look back the demoness took off running. Only becoming vaguely aware of the gun shots ringing out behind her as she fled. _Please don't tell me that they NOW have fire arms!?_ That was all that she needed!

What followed next was the sounds of boots pounding on the floor, shaking the already rickety part of the building in an unnerving way! An annoyed hiss rose from the demoness as she quickly spun about, three blades already in her free hand as she snarled. "Stay back if you know what's good for you!"

She was expecting a monster, maybe one of the military, or even just some other human wandering around. What she saw instead was a man in tight clothing wearing a utility belt that would make Batman proud and wielding a set of rather evil looking guns. Narrowing her dusty pink eyes in a sultry way he held the three blades at the ready, addressing him in a far more gentle tone. "Well hello there, never thought I would run into a man in tights around a place like this."

Gosan skin hard to a hault several yards before the woman, he'd been patrolling the floors one by one searching for stragglers when he heard the crash. Training his weapons on the woman he flashed her a curious look, sometime after kidnapping Sakagami, Ryosei had changed clothes. "Funny, never thought I would see a woman in a jump suit with a pink fetish running around a place like this." He mocked a little and slowly lowered his weapons.

Sakagami gave another soft moan to interrupt the odd little spat, reminding her that he was not too happy about being carried about like a sack of potatoes. Rolling her eyes a moment she turned her attention to the unconscious man in her grasp. "Look, I'd love to hang around and chat, but I really need to get this guy out of here." Just to make it aware how unwell he was, the cruel demoness bounced him on her shoulder and smirked when she heard a whimper.

The taijiya scowled a little at the rough treatment, obviously she didn't care that much about the guy. But she seemed to care enough to want to rescue him. Giving a snort Gosan opened his mouth to enquire further when the wall behind him practically exploded when a huge body broke through it! Sending him stumbling wildly forward a few steps, but training kicked in and he quickly recovered his footing. Spinning about on the huge monster that crashed their party, the beast looking like an elephant with a trunk hanging from its face. But it's mouth was filled with sharp tusk like teeth and its forelegs had claws that would gut a man wide open with one kick!

"RUN! I'll be behind you!" Raising both his pistols the slayer shot out part of the beasts face, slowing the creature down.

Ryosei however did not need a prompt to run! She'd already taken off down the hallway, practically abandoning the demon slayer in her dust! Meanwhile all around her the walls were breaking down, monsters crashing through when they could find no other way to reach the warm blood that was calling to them. One monster came charging for her and in the blink of an eye three blades were embedded in the creatures face!

Much to her dismay however it barely slowed the beast down! Forcing her to stop or become flattened by the charging thing! Just when she reached into her top for another weapon, gun shots rang out from behind. This time the beasts head split open and spilled a small wave of black goo and brain matter almost over her feet! Making a face she leapt back onto to feel a hand hit her in the middle of the back and push!

"Do not stop here! There are eight of these things behind us!" Gosan gasped in a mixture of awe and fright. He'd been wanting some action for a while now but even he saw how bad the situation was getting! Then he saw how close he was to losing a few of his fingers and thought twice ! In the blink of an eye the woman had turned on him and a blade slashed for the slayer! Had he been only a second too long and he'd have been missing three fingers! "The hell are you doing!?"

If there was one thing she hated, it was being pushed around. She glared daggers at the young man as he recoiled back from the shock, before she resumed running once more! Taking care not to touch the corpse she bound over but quickly realized to her horror that things just went down hill.

The hall way before her was choked with monsters, she stopped counting at six. All the beasts were large and for the moment they were fighting amongst themselves. The torn remains of what might have been a human being tossed about between them all. They were not paying attention to the demoness yet, but any second now.

More shots rang out behind Ryosei, though this time she failed to see any bullets fly past. Only to see the reason why a moment later, Gosan had his back to her as he fired. What at first looked like another group of monsters already flooding the other end of the hall, turned out to be the same monsters the slayer had shot only seconds before! Littered with bullet holes the beasts seemed to be barely slowed down by Gosan's weapon. With a silent gasp Ryosei turned to check on the monster.

Only to find herself face to face with a set of burning red eyes affixed to a large human skull. Her own gaze widening as her nose filled with the stink of rotted flesh and the monsters growl managed to shake her to the very core.

This was not going to end well.

Chapter 37 - End.


	38. Demons and Fire

Chapter 38 - Demons and Fire.

What made tracking so challenging was also what ultimately added to the thrill of the hunt. This was something Hakoku had enjoyed ever since he was taught now to track big game as a child. The Taijiya moved along the debris filled streets with the determination of a seasoned hunter and with the stealth of a trained assassin. Odd considering he was dressed more like a samurai, instead of the more form fitting clothing other demon slayers wore. His black and gold trimmed armor resting over hakama and a form fitting silk kimono top. His long black silken hair pulled into a sleek top knot that bounced a little despite his smooth movements.

The shadows offered him the refuge he needed though that seemed to be his only saving grace. For his target was perhaps one of the most difficult hunts he'd ever undertaken in a long while. Somehow this youkai always managed to defeat his tracking techniques. Seldom was there a clue left behind of his passing for the demon slayer to go on. As far as Hakoku could tell the creature hadn't slept or eaten in the days he'd been tracking it.

At one point the thought his luck had finally turned when he'd stumbled across several wolf demons that were restless and disgruntled about a stranger in their midst. For several hours he tailed after them and listened in on the conversations, but learned very little. One detail however stuck out from their talks, they were all upset over a dog. Taking that little bit of information away, the Taijiya continued his hunt for that elusive youkai.

Another day went by and the trail seemed to grow cold once more, but he would not give up. With reports supplied to him from Chousa, he investigated areas where youkai had gathered. He searched around damaged streets and soon found a gutted out building where wolves had once camped in according to the evidence left behind. None of the scattered trash however contained anything that singled out his prey, though he did take note of the human shaped hole in a wall.

It wasn't until he followed a lead that brought him to a very traditional looking home that he'd finally had a lucky break. Once again there were wolves everywhere, but this time he spotted a dog. Inuyasha had been on the Demon Slayers radar for months and was certainly wanted by them, but at present time he was simply not notorious enough to divert Hakoku's attention. The slayer speculated then that he was probably the dog the wolves were griping about and was about to leave.

Then he spotted him. Separated from the rest of the youkai swarming the house, he'd taken off out the back door. Despite tugging a large load over one shoulder he still managed to move with surprising speed and grace. It took everything Hakoku had to catch up with him while remaining undetected. Shadowing the strange demon as he slipped through the broken city. The sprint was grueling and the only chance he had to catch his breath was when his prey stopped and looked about, seeming a little lost, before taking off again.

Till at last he approached the weather door of a crumbling warehouse and vanished inside.

Hakoku could not go any further. If this demon had a good nose then he'd be discovered within minutes of setting foot inside the building. Not that he would refuse this chance to rest anyway, this demon had been moving at a brisk sprint for hours. Only a seasoned marathon runner would be able to keep up with him and it was a miracle that somehow Hakoku managed to. A chance to sit down and let his protesting muscles rest was a gods sent! It was also a good chance to study his target some what.

Taking his rest in the back of an abandoned mini van, he opened a gloved hand and gazed at the string of delicate looking beads resting in his palm. Only one of the five beads was lit however and even then the light faded after a few moments. These little beads were ancient and once part of a rosary that had belonged to a gifted Buddhist monk. The Rosary was given to the Taijiya hundreds of years ago to aid them in their demon hunts.

Each bead was empowered by a hundred years of prayer, and was tuned to energies that radiated off supernatural creatures. From ghosts to monsters, anything that put out energies beyond the range of man made levels could be picked up by the beads spell. Causing them to illuminate based on how much power they detected. The leader of the Taijiya at the time, a man who had suffered crippling injuries to his legs in his career, had the rosary broken up and restrung into sets of five. Handing them to each of his best warriors.

That was where Hakoku's difficulties with this hunt first began it seemed. He had been counting on these prayer beads to tell him of the youkai's presence. So when they seemed to fail at the task he was left bewildered. Were the reports wrong about this demon and he really was not as powerful as first anticipated?

Reluctant to settle on that possibility just yet he rooted around one of his belt pouches. Bringing out a piece of quartz crystal that dangled from a decorative string.

With care he fastened the quartz to the end of the bead string, holding it a moment once he was finished. The crystal caught the light just right and sent a soft splash of rainbow light dancing around it. Youkai sometimes left traces of demonic power behind like a trail. Almost like a scent, but you needed the right nose to pick up this scent, or the right tool. Quartz was a wonderful crystal for picking up and amplifying energy, even from the supernatural.

Deep within his instincts told him not to believe his eyes, he had heard of demons being able to erase their power signature, their aura. Making them virtually impossible to detect even by the most sensitive spiritualists. This crystal was his only hope.

Just as he was climbing out of the van he noticed movement along the roof of the warehouse, by motion alone could tell it was his target. Yet in the blink of an eye it was gone. Springing into action the demon slayer circled the building on the street level, looking for any sign that the demon had crossed to the ruined factory next door to the ware house. His luck turning in his favor when he caught a glimpse of his target leaping the gap between the roof tops with a grace and ease that was obviously inhuman.

Picking up his pace the Taijiya skirted around a pile of overturned cars and sprinted along the street. His eyes cast to the rooftops as he continued his search for the fleeing demon. Using the crystal and beads to tell him when he was getting close or losing him. Leaping over a downed utility pole, the Taijiya hopped over the tangled wires and made for a fire escape. Little knowing that the winds had shifted during the chase and with them, his luck!

While the demon slayer was climbing onto a roof top several buildings away, the demon he was hunting for was idly watching from well behind him. Sitting on top of an air conditioning unit the old youkai watched with some amusement as his stalker vaulted onto the roof and continued the chase - in the wrong direction.

Sometime after leaving the warehouse he began to get the feeling he was being watched. Since his gut instincts were often quite reliable he'd taken a long route through the city that amounted ultimately in going around one big circle. Giving him the opportunity to spot his pursuer. How the demon slayer had caught and stayed on his tail all was a mystery, one he'd love to investigate. But that would have to be saved for another time, he needed to find his son and hope that he'd managed to uncover the den of the Shikome.

What was he going to do with this unwanted company though? Certainly it was not wise to lead this slayer to his son, already their hopes dangled by a thread. To have this man potentially disturbing his fragile demon magic or interfering in the battle itself was nothing to be desired! There must be a way to shake this slayer off his trail. However the youkai suspected that this man had something to his advantage, a theory proven when he quickly figured out what was wrong and turned in the right direction. Guided by something small in his hand.

Well this wouldn't do. A soft sigh escaped through the youkai's clenched teeth, obviously it was going to take some effort to shake off this persistent demon slayer. Grunting with annoyance he slid off his seat and pulled the bundle of weapons onto his back, the racket from the clattering swords causing him to flinch a little. This could undermine his escape, he could certainly sprint faster than a human but with this bundle of swords clanking like this he'd be heard a mile away.

Peering back over his shoulder at the searching demon slayer he decided then and there to take a small risk. The corner of his mouth curling into a little smirk before his form was completely swallowed in the glow of a blue light. Transforming himself to his canine form which in turn caused the everything he happened to be wearing, including the bundle of swords, to disappear. To this day he didn't quite understand how the laws of physics worked, or in this case didn't work, when he transformed.

Not saying that he didn't try to investigate on his own, in truth he experimented many times with it. In the end he gave up and left it as a mystery of nature. Contending himself to being thankful that he, unlike other transforming monsters, didn't have to resuming human form butt-naked due to his clothing being destroyed! As a side bonus, some magical items also vanished harmlessly when he transformed. Only one artifact seemed to resist it, the blue crystal necklace he wore.

Sinking down to four paws the youkai took a moment to stretch and shake the last few glimmers of demonic magic off his silvery fur. This was a calculated risk, his full canine form was no bigger than his human, but he was a rather large human. Which made him a really large dog. As if that wasn't enough to give him away he really didn't look like a normal dog either. To the average human eye he had nothing to worry about, but demon slayers are not easily fooled and would quickly notice all the important details, like the massive claws for example. That was something the crystal just could not hide.

If he was spotted, he ran the risk of potentially revealing more than he would have liked to the demon slayer, thus he turned quickly on a hind leg and took off running. The soft click of his claws on concrete a far better trade than the clatter of swords on his back. He pressed on without looking back, being mindful of his silvery white fur against the bleak grey landscape. Nimbly he jumped onto the next rooftop, landing upon the edge with an effortless grace perfected from years of running on all fours.

Not wasting a moment he sprung from his perch, climbing up over the twisted steel and debris without a care for the rickety and crumbling building beneath him. A scrape of his claws leaving gouges in the concrete as he darted over the broken cities skyline. Leaving the demon slayer far behind, not daring to slow down until he could finally feel it was safe. Before he turned his nose up to the wind he set off towards the scent of wolves, hoping that would in turn lead him to his youngest son.

Left in the dust Hakoku traversed the rooftops in relentless pursuit, following the path as indicated by the Buddhists rosary. Faint as it was even with the help of the crystal. He landed lightly on the edge of another rooftop and paused a moment when he noticed the claw marks on the concrete. In truth claw marks were not uncommon with the swarm of monsters attacking the city. But the crystal reacted to this set. Reaching into his pocket he plucked out his cell phone and held it out, snapping a few pictures of the evidence. For the final picture he positioned his own hand over it for comparison, spreading his fingers out to trace the gouged lines.

His finger was hovering over the camera button when the device began to beep urgently. Drawing his attention to it for a moment, his breath hitching in his throat. A distress signal. Biting his lower lip Hakoku looked about in frustration, as if he could hope to find the demon lurking around him. But of course it was a futile effort, the hunt for now would need to be put on hold. His eyes flicked to the phone once more as he held his wave of emotions back and turned to run off.

"I am getting too old for this!" Sentei wheezed as he raced through the streets, navigating his way through the destruction and death that lay all around him. The access road he was once protecting left well behind when the distress signal came across his phone. Seldom was that signal ever used, in Sentei's career he could only count the number of times Chousa used this call on one hand. It meant that things had turned quite bad, it meant that they were being called to face certain doom.

With the Morning Star clutched in his hands he quickly rounded the corner of a ruined building and came upon what was once the hospital grounds, now turned into a war zone. Fires raged among a swarm of monsters that numbered easily into the hundreds. It was enough to make even a seasoned fighter like him think twice about joining the fray. As if that were even an option, not with his warriors lost somewhere in this mess!

If they died while he was sitting on the side lines like this, then he'd have failed them all as a Demon Slayer and a leader. It was a thought that settled in his mind like a layer of fallen ash, with determination he clutched the weapon in his hands and steeled his nerves. Taking a few seconds to study the scene and form his plan, before he took off running. His voice rising in a thunderous shout as the morning star swung over his head.

The spiked head of the club like weapon slammed into the back legs of one monster that could not turn fast enough. While the beast stumbled to the ground he raced up it's slimy back and used his momentum to carry him in a leap! Launching him straight into the fray of the battle. Yet it was the death all around him that threatened to distract him. The bodies of solders and hospital staff were scattered everywhere, in some cases their corpses were already beginning to bloat and turn a lacquered black color.

A blow caught him in the small of his back with enough force to send him tumbling to the ground! Though years of training and battle allowed him to recover from the strike by curling into a ball to roll on the ground, ultimately saving himself from the claws that raked over the pavement just behind him. Using all the ease and grace of a well seasoned fighter, Sentei flipped back to his feet and swung the spiked staff back around to catch the incoming necrotic monster by the jaw! Twisting violently to tear the mandible free from the creatures face and sending it back reeling.

However there was no time to savor his victory, never mind breath, no sooner had that beast been pushed back than two more were bearing down on him! Forcing Sentei to run for it. This was insanity, how would he find his fighters in this mess? They needed to regroup and retreat, there was nothing more they could do for this hospital! But just when he was about to dismiss their effort to hold their ground as a lost cause he spied a damaged looking ambulance.

It was a wreck on four wheels, with pieces either missing or dragging just behind it. But just beyond the broken doors he could see terrified faces within, dear gods there were still people here! Yet just as he began to search for any hope for their survival, a massive monster came down onto the limping vehicle with tearing claws ! Gritting his teeth Sentei quickly sprinted for the sounds of screams, dancing around the sweeping strike of another monsters paw as he went. Before raising that mourning star high above his head and slamming it down into a flaming pile of debris. Impaling a burning tire on the wicked spikes and trailing flamed with one mighty swing.

One thing he knew, these monsters could burn! Unfortunately for him however, these things were aware of that fact as well! Many of whom scattered and scrambled to get out of the path of his flaming weapon. In seconds a space opened up around the Taijiya, the monsters forming a circle around him instead. Searching for the right moment to lunge at the frustrated warrior in the center. He did not have time for this! The huge beast attacking the ambulance looked as if it had managed to tear a hole through the roof, time was quickly running out for the people inside!

Sprinting as fast as he could Sentei scattered the wall of monsters and leapt for the hulking beast, realizing that it seemed distracted and unaware of the impending strike! A lucky opportunity he did not miss as the flaming tire came down over the creatures back! The blow powerful enough to break bones while the flames ignited the oily fur! The monster whirling around as it shrieked in agony seconds before a glaive came down over it's skull. Splitting bone in a grotesque manner and sending the creature careening to the ground.

"GO!" Sentei roared at the freed ambulance, the driver answering as it's clanking engine roared, carrying it's precious cargo off. Leaving behind a plume of black exhaust that caused him to gag and cough, yet in his stinging vision he made out the form of Riku. "Where are the rest?"

The red headed demon slayer deftly pulled her weapon free from the burning monsters skull. " Gosan is inside, Hikoku should be joining us soon." Though she needed to only see the leering faces and drooling jaws of the monsters around them to know that their efforts from here on were futile.

"We need to get the hell out of here!" Sentei snapped irritably as he swung that flaming weapon around once to keep the necromantic creatures at bay. His narrowed eyes searching the area around him, but no matter where he looked there were no other signs of life. No police, no military, no hospital staff, nothing but the dead and the undead. His heart began to sink.

Riku flashed her leader a grim look and instead took up a position that per her back against his. They needed to escape from here, but until all the Taijiya could be accounted for they could not leave. "What do we do?" she whispered softly.

A loud noise began to thunder somewhere to Sentei's left, though for the moment he was more than preoccupied with trying to keep their attackers at bay. A task made far more difficult by the fact that the flames were beginning to die down and the charred remains of the tire had begun to crumble away. Leaving him desperately searching for another source of fire, or maybe he could find something to wrap around his weapon and light?

If only he could- if only he could think with all this damned noise! "Oh for the love of! Who the hell is blasting music!?" He snarled as he turned towards the source of the sound, irritated beyond anything that he could not at the very least collect his thoughts in the face of impossible odds! However it took him a moment to realize that he was not the only one who was distracted.

All around him the monsters had stopped. Every last one had their heads turned away, utterly ignoring the two bewildered demon slayers. Riku's jaw dropped as she looked around them in awe, till a small detail caught her attention. Tilting her head a little she queried her leader. " Are they're playing Michael Jackson?"

Someone had a sense of humor, because Thriller was playing with all the volume and intensity of a rock concert! The late singer's vocals belting out haunting lyrics that seemed to quickly enchant the crowd of monsters, capturing their full attention. Suddenly the circle around the pair was broken as the creatures moved towards the source of the music.

That source happened to be a bright yellow pickup truck, it's bed and much of it's exterior hosting a collection of speakers and sub woofers that were on full blast. Shaking the vehicle with every bass beat. At the wheel, the driver was dancing in his seat while the low riding vehicle cruised right into a pack of murderous monsters. It was a recipe for a massacre, yet nothing happened! Much to Sentei's own awe, not a single beast lunged for the truck.

They didn't even stand in it's way, instead they parted in front and followed behind! Like a pied piper of horror the truck slowly cruised in a large circle, gathering up the beasts behind it.

"The hell is going on?" Sentei breathed in disbelief, Riku shouldering her weapon beside him as she took in the amazing sight. Till something else caught her attention, the beads of the Buddhists' rosary were reacting.

"Other youkai are around and a lot of them by the looks of it." She cautioned as she plucked at her leaders sleeve. " Lets get to high ground for a better look!"

Curiosity was getting the better of her despite the pain and fatigue of battle. Her armor was cracked and her clothing torn, blood oozed in some places while bruises developed in others. But that didn't stop her from climbing up onto an over turned van to get a better view! Her attention immediately drawn to the lights that were dancing farther out in the street. Flickers of orange and red that swayed back and forth to the rhythm of the blasting music.

The sounds of grunting drew her attention away, giving a sigh as she leaned down to help Sentei climb up with her. When a flash of bright light nearly bowled her off her feet! With widened eyes both demon slayers looked up in time to see fire erupting all around! All of a sudden the top of the van didn't seem like such a good idea anymore! The ground though was not any safer as flames raced over it carried along by flowing accelerant.

The smashing of glass drew her attention away as another fireball erupted uncomfortably close to the van! Forcing Ruki to duck down beside Sentei as he snarled. " Molotov Cocktails! Look for where they are coming from!"

Desperately they looked about, but all that could be seen for the moment was black smoke and writhing burning bodies. The monsters were shrieking, some running from the scene while others charged towards they perceived their attackers were. The music had stopped playing and the roar of the trucks engine echoed like thunder through the beastly screams.

The yellow pick up plowed through a crowd of monsters and swerved past a pillar of flames. Skidding hard to a stop behind the overturned van. With the window rolled down the driver called out to the pair. "HEY! Need a lift!?"

Sentei grabbed a hold of Ruki's arm, "Who are you first of all!?" a formality which was cut short when another explosion of flame erupted behind them! The shock wave sweeping both demon slayers off the van and onto the speaker filled bed of the truck! While right behind them flames nearly engulfed the vehicle they had just been standing on. Giving the truck more than enough reason to peel out as it sped off !

Ryosei never did like the sound of guns, especially when they went off so close to her head. The alternative however was not pleasant and she preferred having her ear drums blown to dealing with the drooling jaws of a blood thirsty monster! With that bitter thought in mind she dove behind an overturned hospital bed as fast as she could. Or at least as fast as she could while lugging an unconscious body with her! Despite all the racket around them Sakagami was still dead to the world. It left her a little bit envious of him in all truth. Pressing her back against the steel undercarriage of the bed she peered off to the side.

A pair of empty eye sockets were staring right back at her. Though they were not as big and creepy as the hole that was right in between them! The sight made her skin crawl and watching the monsters gore filled jaw spasm was not helping her mood! " These things weren't here when I first walked in! Are you sure they didn't follow you!?"

Gosan stomped a foot down over the monsters shoulder and ejected an empty magazine from one of his weapons. His eyes fixed on the corpse laying below his feet knowing it would not stay there long and regretting the number of bullets he wasted to bring the damned thing down. "There wasn't this many of them all over the place when I first walked in either." Loading another clip into the weapon he took a moment to look down the hall. Searching for an escape.

Breathing an exasperated little sigh Ryosei gathered up her precious cargo and climbed out from her hidinging place. " Have you noticed that they seem to be after me more than you? "

"That is because they don't want to mess with an ace sharp shooter like me!" Gosan smirked as he struck a little pose with both guns drawn and aimed dramatically!

Rolling her eyes, Ryosei opened her mouth to retort when a roar erupted somewhere behind them. Resigning herself to ignoring her companions shenanigans she tossed Sakagami over a shoulder and took off at a brisk pace. Her mind racing with every step, where would they go? That was the first and the most important question that crossed her mind, every turn they made thus far lead them nowhere. Either they hit dead ends or found an exit that was filled with these hideous, blood thirsty monsters!

It was almost enough to make a girl do something drastic! Until she rounded a corner and found a hall way that was remarkably still intact! Even the emergency lights seemed to have survived and were still flickering. However it was the emergency exit at the end of the hall that caught her eye! "Finally!" She whispered and started for it, a renewed sense of hope guiding her steps. It was all she could do to stop herself from racing down the hall for it! If only she didn't fear that something wicked would burst through the wall at any moment! As she neared the steel double doors though, a smile of triumph came over her face!

A smile that quickly faded when she jerked open the door and was greeted by not a clear exit to freedom, but a twisted metal heap! The stair well had collapsed on itself, turning five flights of stairs into a lop sided accordion of steel and splintered hand rails. Her heart sank as she stared at the mess in disbelief, hissing a very unlady like curse under her breath. Not caring that the Demon Slayer could hear it when he ran up to her side. His eyes roaming over the damage, giving a whistle of mild awe of it all.

"We're definitely not going to get up the stairs, I don't think there is anything left but an empty shaft."

Gosan began to search through for an apparent way down since up was out of the question. Catching onto what he was trying to do, Ryosei edged a little further into the wreckage. The sounds of groaning steel sending a shiver along her spine. This was by no means safe and she confirmed her assessment by grabbing onto a jutting piece of a hand rail and giving it a tug. The whole thing shook suddenly and sunk down a couple of inches. "We can't go up, but if we try climbing down through this mess we risk having the whole damned thing falling down over our heads."

Gosan licked his lips and cast the mess before him a critical eye. "So why not send it all crashing down ahead of us then? We can scale down the side walls."

Now it was Ryosei's turn to give him a critical look. "Did you happen to miss this hundred and sixty pound lug on my shoulder?" To emphasize she waved a hand over that said lug. "This isn't a hand bag you know."

The little quip caused Gosan to roll his eyes and sigh, holding up a string of rosary beads before her nose. Three of the six were lit up. "You know you are not fooling anyone demon." Catching her annoyed look he gave her a little knowing smile. "I know a few girls who dye their hair wild colors, but your hair looks too natural to come out of a bottle."

Ryosei closed her eyes and gave another, slightly more exasperated sigh! She was not griping about being unable to carry Sakagami. She was much stronger than she appeared to be. The question that plagued her was if Sakagami could survive all the rough handling! The poor man had already been jostled around quite a bit as it was and she feared his heart would go still at any moment from all the knocking about! If this lug died, so did her chances of getting close to that strange dog demon again.

After taking a moment or two to compose herself the demoness turned her eyes back to her unwilling companion on this mission. "Fine then, I can carry him with me, but you Mr. Taijiya are going to be the one who has to clear the way. "

"Gosan is the name." Nothing he could do would stop the snicker that followed. Nor the smile that spread when he caught a glimpse of her face. Deep down he'd love to bait her some more, but knowing this situation would quickly escalate at this rate he focused instead on looking for a way to knock the ruined stairs down the shaft. Fishing for a little small talk to try and smooth her ruffled fur. "Why is he so important to you? "

"That is my business. " She snapped with irritation and turned her back on the demon slayer. Why did her ill luck just have to include this clown? Their fates seemed intertwined the moment they ran into each other in this hell hole. As much as she loathed the idea, she needed his help to get them both out of there. But that did not mean that she enjoyed his company! This man was egotistical, big mouthed and reeked of cheap cologne. Any other day she would have ripped out his heart for annoying her this much, yet so far he had been of great use to her. Hence for now she tried to tolerate it.

Shaking his head, Gosan ignored her snap and continued looking about, his eyes soon narrowing on the possible solution to their problem. A single metal beam was jutting up from the debris, it looked wedged in place but not wedged so tightly that it couldn't be knocked free. "That looks promising!" Peering over his shoulder he checked to see if he had the female demons interest, raising a hand to point at the beam. "If we can pry that free, the whole thing will come crashing down!"

"If _**you**_ can pry it free you mean. " She corrected him firmly, meeting Gosan's eyes with a glare of her own. " I will not put this man down if I can help it!"

He just had to stare at her in disbelief. "You expect me to be strong enough to pry that thing loose from several hundred pounds of steel by myself? " He practically whined, his shoulders slumping when her only answer was to turn her back on him once again. Giving a sigh he ran his fingers through his short spiky hair. "Look Youkai," this time his tone was flat and to the point. "Pulling that beam free is at least a four man job. Either you help me do it or we are stuck finding another way out. "

The look on the demon's face was nothing short of venomous! For the first time Gosan could see her true demonic visage, her pink hair and rose colored eyes giving her a mystical appearance. It was a dangerous look and Gosan couldn't help but reach for one of the glocks holstered on his hip.

For the next few minutes they were at a stand off, demon and slayer stood there facing one another.

Sizing up one another.

Tempting fate.

Yet just when it seemed that Gosan maybe in for another life threatening battle, Ryosei gave in with a snarl! "Humans! Such useless things!" Being a little less careful that she ought to have been she deposited poor Sakagami on the floor in no gentle of a manner. Making her way towards the unsettled demon slayer with sour look on her face.

As ugly as she looked at least she was cooperating now. Feeling a bit more relaxed Gosan fished through his belt and pulled out a thin length of cord. Tapping the end with a finger three pronged hooks popped out and locked in place. With an experts eye he calculated the distance and the obstetrical between them and beam they needed to reach. Though it still required a little trial and error as the first toss bounced off the beam and the second didn't fall close enough.

Ignoring the demon's little annoyed sounds and hissed accusations of his incompetence, he managed to snag the beam on the third throw. Giving the line a stout tug to secure the hook, gripping the line with both hands he looked over to the demoness. Fighting off the urge to sigh at her murderous look he offered her the end of the cord, flinching as she snatched it from his hand.

"Alright, on the count of three. One...two..." They both gave the line a powerful tug and the beam lurched violently, the entire compacted mess of steel gave a ominous groan and sunk several inches. But lodged once again in place.

"Almost there! " Gosan grinned as he adjusted his grip again and once more counted. The next tug dislodged the beam a few more inches and the mess sunk down even further. This time they could hear the sounds of debris falling down the stairwell shaft, a good sign!

"One more and we should be clear!" Gosan cheered like a coach to a little league team. Adding more sour thoughts to Ryosei's already soured expression. Her narrowed eyes locked in on the overly amused Demon slayer, a venomous word on the tip of her tongue when the cord clasped in her hands abruptly yanked back! Both demon and slayer plowed into one another before they could release the cord, the rumble of falling steel shaking the everything around them!

Dropping to the floor Ryosei covered her head as ceiling tiles came crashing down around them. The possibility of another earthquake was her first panicked thought but after a few seconds she realized that something was not right with these tremors. Lifting her head she stared at the stairwell shaft, the debris sinking down further with the shaking. Though the longer she stared at it, the sooner she realized that something else was coming up through it!

Her eyes widened as black ooze seeped up through the mess, thick and viscous it swallowed the steel as it bubbled up. Building itself to a height of five feet before wrapping about itself. Molding into the shape of a woman garbed in what vaguely looked like loose fitting robes from long ago. Like a figment of a horror film the woman's dark empty eyes turned towards them and for a moment the demoness was caught in a fit of sheer terror.

A sudden boot to her rear snapped her out of it! Gosan was up on his feet and aiming his weapons at the form. "Stop staring at it! We need to get out of here now, now, NOW!"

Part of her wanted to rip his leg off for the indignity but the fear was far stronger than the sting of her wounded pride. Rolling to her feet she quickly reached for Sakagami. But movement in the corner of her eye forced her to recoil abruptly back. A long tendril of ooze lashed at her like a whip, the floor tiles that she had been standing on only a moment before buckling under its brutal strike! Gunshots rang out as Gosan tried forcing the woman back while Ryosei clapped her hands over her ears in a vain attempt to save her hearing.

The bullets ripped through the female form and the ooze broke apart, forming a mass of writhing tendrils instead that lashed out for the three. Ryosei was forced to duck and cover, watching in dismay as tendrils wrapped around Sakagami and dragged him off. Gosan gave a yell as one nearly took off his head and his legs at the same time, a desperate dive sparing him from a gruesome fate. Springing to his feet he spun about to aim his weapons at the incoming threat.

Only he couldn't. Something came down on him like a ton of bricks and flattened him to the floor. Yet nothing hit him, at least he didn't remember anything hitting him! It was as if gravity itself has suddenly intensified and pulled him down. In terror he searched for the whipping tendrils, only to see that they were also flattened to the floor and spreading out into a sheet of oil on the floor.

That wasn't the extent of it, the only one not pinned to the floor was the demoness herself. Ryosei stood up while a soft wave of demonic power washed over her. Her eyes blazing with intensity at the quivering pool of dark fluid that fought to stay up. Before settling on the man caught in it's grasp. A hiss weaving through her words. "That. Is. mine. I would appreciate it if you kept your slimy tentacles off of him!"

The unconscious man lay on the floor in a heap, though despite the crushing force coming down around them that ooze was still managing to fight it's way over his body. Engulfing him in liquid black, making him look like he was wearing a shiny wet suit. That could not be good for him. Ryosei's venomous glare turned once more on the quivering heap before her. Holding out a hand and manipulating her own demonic power to close around it and force it back down through the floor!

Pink eyes narrowed on her prey as she focused completely on it, not caring what this thing was. If she could distract it then maybe Gosan could get to Sakagami before it was too late! She almost had the black goo down as flat as a pancake. When the floor they stood upon violently sunk a foot or more! A gasp rose from her lips as her demonic aura faded, the effort requiring her concentration.

Gosan gave a yelp as the floor sunk again and this time an ominous groan rumbled around them. With the demons spell lifted he quickly scrambled to his feet and turned in time to see Ryosei diving for the body laying on the floor. If only that darn floor would cooperate! The moment she reached the fallen body. the floor was suddenly gave way. In an instant they were falling through the air, pieces of hospital furniture and globs of dark goo falling with them.

One after the other they crashed through the floors of the hospital, each one giving way far too easily. As if something was tearing through the structure ahead of them as they fell. Gosan was convinced that the mounting debris he was currently sharing air space with would crush him to death when he reached the bottom. If the fall itself didn't kill him first!

A shock wave interrupted his unscheduled flight however and for a moment he was carried upwards! Almost feeling like he'd hit a trampoline. By now he'd stopped screaming, his lungs having lost the capacity for it. So he closed his eyes, grit his teeth and hopped for the best when gravity finally regained control! Tumbling head over heels once again and plummeting down, until he finally hit something soft and fuzzy.

Soft and fuzzy?

In curiosity he opened his eyes, but all he could see was pink fur in front of his face. Instinctively he grabbed a hold of it realizing that this might be his salvation. Though for a moment he did wonder where in the hell pink fur came from? Then again, who cares! As long as it would spare him from plunging to his death! Luckily for him that was just the case, holding on tight to the fur his body came down into the fluffy softness and before he knew it he was riding along! Another mighty crash followed by more falling debris and once more Gosan to squint his eyes closed. This right was just a tad bit too scary even for him!

His life flashed before his eyes. Deep down he knew someday he'd wind up dead. No one who joined the demon slayers expected anything different. They dealt with some of the most dangerous supernatural creatures in the land and routinely traveled on what some people would think were suicide missions. Some day something was going to get all of them! But Goson could think of better ways to die then under falling pieces of hospital and monster oil!

Through the outer wall of the hospital the dog demoness crashed through. Her ears folded back as she carried the body laying in her slender jaws with great care. In a show of absolute grace and elegance she landed down on the street, causing a bright yellow pick up truck to violently swerve! It took everything Sentei and Riku had to stop them from flying out the broken truck door. Everyone grabbing onto anything within the truck, even the driver, as the low riding trucks undercarriage scraped the street with a flurry of sparks!

Riku managed to look up in time to see the massive dog shaking off, moments before Gosan came down on the windshield! Scaring the woman enough to give a shrill scream! Her eyes widening at poor Gosan, who at the moment looked like road kill with a twisted, if comical, face.

Sentei though had more sense at the moment and reached through the passenger side window to grab their once missing partner. Yanking him into the cabin as he barked orders to their driver! The wolf still staring at the fleeing form of the massive dog before he snapped out of it and hit the gas! Speeding past the inferno that filled the streets!

The smoke was billowing so thickly into the air that the sun was blotted out in the sky. Leaving the area as dark as night in the middle of the afternoon. When Inuyasha finally arrived at the scene with Kagome close behind all they could see was fire and smoke. They were at the very edge of the chaos outside of the hospital. The air reeked of burning flesh and the shrieks and howls of monsters echoed through the streets, only to be cut through by the war cries of wolf demons in the heat of a murderous rampage.

Holding a crimson sleeve up to shield his face from a noxious cloud of smoke the hanyou could not help but stare in awe at the scene. The wolves were systematically char broiling the nuribotoke while doing their best to spare the remains of the city from going up in flames with them. Everything looked like it was going smoothly, almost too smoothly. "Kagome, are you sure the trail ends here?"

At his whim she held up the crystal pendulum and once again it rose at an angle, caught in the flow of power swirling around them. " It's here and it's leading right to the hospital." Her gaze drifted up to the crumbling building, seconds before a tremor shook the very ground beneath their feet!

With a colorful swear the hanyou quickly grabbed the woman when the front of the hospital practically erupted! Concrete along with pieces of debris flew from the pluming smoke cloud, blinding them as they took shelter in each others arms. For a moment he wondered if a bomb had gone off! Wrapping his arms around Kagome he did his best to shield her as a cloud of dust and concrete fragments blew over them. Squeezing his own eyes closed against the mess that enveloped them. Yet while he held his wife he caught the movements of something emerging from the hospital from the corner of his eye. Something big, furry and pink.

Cursing under his breath at his inability to keep his eyes open against the flying dust he held still with his wife and waited until the cloud had passed. But by the time the dust settled enough to let him open his eyes the large creature was long gone. Swallowed by the darkness that fell like a heavy blanket over the city. With an irritated sigh he glared at the hospital, the front of the building completely lost to the destruction. However the base was another story. A massive pit sat at the very bottom of the building. Wide and deep.

From that darkened crater, more of the monsters were beginning to pour out, unexpectedly giving away the very thing they were looking for. "There! All of them must be coming from under the hospital! " Inuyasha whispered in awe as he watched the creatures swarm for the fight with the wolves.

There wasn't much to be happy about though as a wave of monsters climbed up over the lip of the pit, that was far from a reassuring sight! Kagome shivered a little at the thought that they would be jumping into the heart of the danger! "We better get to it now while we have a chance."

It was a sentiment the hanyou both shared and dreaded. Grim determination set in however and he turned to give Kagome a chance to climb onto his back. While he studied the battle field before him, somewhere in the mess the music began to blast but from the sounds of snarling beasts it had lost whatever magical effect it once had over the Nurbotoke. Let's not forget that all around the hospital fallen corpses burned, red and orange flames leaping into the air hungrily, adding even more risk.

He could not let this deter him! The moment he felt Kagome settled securely on his back the hanyou took off right into the fray! His pace brisk and feet light as he trotted past smoldering flesh and pillars of black smoke. That pace picking up into a full scale run as more of the living- or not so living, monsters emerged from the chaos. At full speed he sprinted up one of the only remaining telephone poles still standing next to the street. Twisting his form to avoid the hanging power cables as he took to the air, he used what little demonic power he personally possessed to give him an added boost.

Unlike full youkai he could not actually fly, the effort required that he have both the demonic power and the control to pick him up and hold him up off the ground. Unfortunately he did not have enough of either (and he did try for many years to just to prove that point!) But what little he did have was enough to help him glide back to earth gently, as if riding along on a parachute.

With the height he achieved from the leap, he had enough momentum to bring him right to the edge of that crater. He landed lightly on his bare feet while narrowing his eyes in the darkness; doing his best to inspect the pit while ignoring the terrible sounds of the raging battle behind him. Hard as it was to do since the very scream of a neaby dying wolf was enough to send shivers down his spine. They needed to move quick.

Kagome meanwhile was very aware of what was happening and her heart sank into the pit of her stomach. The music had stopped, the yellow truck was left twisted and trampled into the ground, no signs of life to be found anywhere around it. The Monsters now had nothing holding them back and they turned their full forces on the wolf demons. Many of whom swarmed around the hungry flames, overwhelming those taking shelter beyond within moments.

One unfortunate wolf was caught in the jaws of three monsters, each beast pulling at the dying creature until flesh began to tear. Quickly Kagome averted her eyes away and whimpered, feeling helpless and wanting to do something! Anything to stop this!

Gripping Inuyasha's shoulders until her knuckles turned white she forced herself to look ahead of them. Just in time to witness Inuyasha diving down into the crater without even bothering to stop and look at the Nuribotoke coming up! "Wait! What are you doing?!"

Her cries echoed down the open shaft as he drifted just past the reach of the wall scaling monsters. The boy folding his ears back as he growled a response through his gritted teeth. " There is no time to lose! We need to stop this before Koki blames us for every one of her dead wolves!" Though it was his guilt that drove him to take this risk more than any fear of the wolf demon's anger. The longer they took to put an end to this, the more lives were lost. It was something that just sat heavily on his conscience.

It wasn't the first time he pulled a stupid move due to his emotions, nor was it the first time that he paid dearly for it as well. As the pair finally reached the bottom of the pit the darkness seemed to crowd around them like a rolling fog. The hanyou froze for a few moments in that position as he tried to take stock in the situation. Yet everywhere he looked all he could find was darkness. Though the very air itself was filled with the sounds of movement, up above them he could hear the sounds of claws scraping the pit walls. While somewhere to his left something made an unworldly gurgling sound that raised the hairs on the back of the boys neck.

Kagome also, in fact she couldn't help at shiver at the sounds echoing around her! "We need a light!" She whispered softly and held both hands together in front of her. Whispering a few soft words as light began to well between her fingers. When the prayer was finished she parted her hands and released a small orb of pure light. Floating just above her palm it glowed brightly enough to cut through the darkness and expose what was lurking within.

Three pairs of empty eyes turned on the couple. Mounted on three vastly different heads all attached to a monstrously massive body! The hanyou's jaw dropped as he looked up…and up. Watching in horror while the chimera rose to all six of it's clawed feet. While all three heads bared their blackened fangs.

This was the stuff of nightmares. Standing thirteen feet high by the boy's guess the three headed beast was more than formidable. But after the initial shock of seeing the chimera passed, the hanyou snapped out of it. Baring his own fangs in return he rose to his feet and grabbed the hilt of the Tetsusaiga, Drawing the blade from its scabbard with a bright flash.

While Kagome took the signal and hopped off his back with nimble ease, pulling her bow over her shoulder while the glowing light floated up above her head. Her own fear vanishing with the help of Inuyasha's rising growl, she knocked an arrow on the bow and drew. Aiming for the heart of the beast standing before them, readying herself for the battle that was about to begin.

A battle she hoped they could survive.

Chapter 38: End.


	39. Haunting Past

Chapter 39 - Haunting Past.

The smell of acrid smoke stung his nose, burning it badly enough to make him sneeze and wish he could plug the offended appendage. Though it was sadly not an option as he was tracking the scent of his son across this urban battle field.

Picking his way carefully through the flames and rubble, he kept his canine form low to the ground as he slunk along, trying to remain undetected while a war raged around him. A difficult enough of a task had he not bared witness to the screams of agony that were disturbing enough to haunt even his dreams

Bounding past an overturned car he caught a small glimpse of the fighting and carnage. At a glance it was impossible to tell which side was winning among the writhing bodies and billowing black smoke. Though the smell of burning flesh told him that the wolves plans for the Nuribotoke were working. While the smell of fresh blood hanging heavily in the air however was not as comforting. Crouching under a fallen light post the youkai quickly crawled his way through the ruined walls of the hospital. Unable to stop his eyes from wandering once he reached the other side.

To see a place of healing filled with such a smell of death brought a little shiver down his spine and raised the fur along his back. His heart sank at the thought of helpless patients being brutally killed by the Nuribotoke. His thoughts lingering on the tragedy strewn around him until the smell of the female dog demon caught his attention. Perking his ears up the youkai looked about as he sniffed at the air once again to be sure. Picking up the scent of a few residual bits of demonic power, fur and Sakagami! It was very faint, had he not stood still this long he may have missed it, but quite fresh! Ryosei had been through here recently with the Historian and with all the luck they both had escaped! The thought renewed his sense of hope.

Everyone else had done their part, now it was his turn. All their efforts would be for naught if something wasn't done about the Shikome! Picking up his pace he padded around the broken concrete and scattered debris, expertly crossing a length of metal rebar like a tight rope walker on four paws. A feat made all the more hair raising by the massive pit yawning below him! Slowing his pace he peered down at the huge hole with steep sides and bottom swallowed by darkness.

The daylight was too strong not to reach the bottom of a pit. Either it was very deep or filled with magic that blotted out the sunlight. Either way it was not something he'd want to jump into. For all he knew it was a mass grave of mangled bodies waiting to be raised into Nuribotoke! That mental image alone of zombie like creatures crawling along the bottom was giving him more than enough reason finish crossing over these rebar and get out of there.

So of course the bottom of that pit was where Inuyasha's scent was coming from! Giving a canine sigh he cast a flat look into the inky black darkness below. Mulling bitterly over the fact that this should not be surprising to him, in the short time he'd known his youngest it was apparent that he knew how to get himself into the worst trouble! There was no need for him to track the hanyou's scent across the city. He only needed to find the source of the worst trouble imaginable and yes…there his boy would be! How the hell did he survive on his own this long?

Something behind him exploded, disrupting his train of thought when a sudden wave of heat threatened to sear the fur off the end of his tail! With a yelp he hooked his claws on the metal bar as the force of the explosion knocked him off balance. Staying up here on the surface was obviously no safer that whatever was awaiting him down there! Casting one last rueful look into the vile looking pit he swallowed his fears and gathered himself onto his haunches. Springing off the wobbling rebar with some degree of grace, only to hit the wall of the wall with a huffy woof!

Digging his claws into the hard dirt he began to let himself slide down bit by bit, trying to work his way slowly along. It worked for maybe ten or so meters, until he hit a level of soft soil that crumbled away under his feet. Quickly he realized that he had no choice but to skid the rest of the way down tail first. His only saving grace being that the walls were not as vertical as he first perceived and there were ledges here and there for his claws to catch. With an almost feline grace he leapt from one. Kicking up dirt and small stones as his paws slid and landed somewhat clumsily on the next ledge. Silently hoping nothing down there would notice the small wave of debris.

As if the descent into the unknown wasn't bad enough, the deeper he went the less light there was, even his night vision wasn't helping him very much. Normally he would depend on his nose to lead the way when his eyes were rendered useless but here all he could smell was decaying flesh and smoke that only grew stronger the further he went. Giving up on his efforts he steeled himself for what could be a very hairy situation waiting for him down below. However when he finally reached the bottom all he could feel beneath his paws was packed earth. Needless to say that gave his a small sense of relief, if it did leave him wondering.

If the corpses were not here, then where in the world could they be? Lifting his head he tried to look about, but it was a useless effort in absolute darkness like this. The smell of decay was strong down here, but his son's living scent was also quite stronger. Parental instinct kicked in and he surmised that where ever these corpses happened to be, so would he find his son. With a soft snort he lowered his nose to the ground once more and began to pace in a slow circle. Not really needing to look too hard before he caught Inuyasha's trail.

Nor did it take him too long to hear the evidence that lent to his suspicion. Despite being somewhat deep underground he could still hear the sounds of fighting nearby. Though at first he was ready to dismiss it as echo's from the war raging above his head. Till it became apparent that the noise was coming from somewhere on the other side of the pit, or was it a tunnel? Looking from above he didn't think this pit was more then a few hundred feet wide. Now that he was down here on the other hand it seemed like he was possibly in a tunnel judging by the way thumping sounds of his paws on the hard packed earth bounced off the walls. It was something he would have pondered more on when a small point of light shining ahead caught his attention.

In a world of darkness that light could only mean that his son and the young miko were up ahead. Renewing his hope, he picked up his pace he trotted towards it, being mindful of the dark surroundings around him and coming to the quick realization that the sounds of fighting were getting louder by the moment. His boy had certainly found the heart of trouble down here, but the roar that echoed through he tunnel did not sound like any Nuribotoke he'd faced. Then he caught the scent of fresh blood.

Familiar blood.

Not a single thought more was paid to the potential traps or pitfalls within the darkness. Not a care was given to his own safety. The thought of his son's blood being spilled was all that was needed to send him into a full speed run through the tunnel. When the terrain became tricky enough to trip him every few strides he switched to letting his own demonic power propel him with every bounding leap. Even as the sudden flux of his aura stripped the covering spell of the crystal away.

"INUYASHAAAA!"

Kagome's scream was undeniably terrified and it was the final spur for the youkai as he dove into a massive underground clearing lit with orange colored emergency lights. At one point it may have been a subway station, but at the moment it was the scene of utter chaos! All he saw was the flying crimson clad form of his son hitting the cement covered ground and the giant head of a Nuribotoke coming down for him. The monsters head so intent on going in for the kill that it did not see the flying silver ball of fury until it body slammed the creature right between the eyes!

The sudden impact of the two hundred plus pound dog sent the monster reeling back with a blood curdling shriek that echoed strangely around him. Visibly panicked the beast thrashed it's head wildly in an effort to throw the dog off but his claws dug deep into the hapless creature's face. Shredding the rotten flesh to ribbons that cut down to the decaying bone. The youkai's own thunderous snarl rising with the monster's pain filled cries. After several long minutes of sheer carnage the red haze of his rage subsided enough for him to see exactly why this creature's cries echoed around him. It was because he was surrounded!

With a wild scramble and a vicious snarl of his own the youkai narrowly avoided getting one of his tails caught in the jaws of the monsters other two heads. Sprinting down the body of the beast he took a flying leap off the massive rump before coming to a skidding stop on what used to be a train platform. Now able to finally see what manner of monstrosity he was facing, his eyes widening! Standing almost twenty feet high it looked like a Cerberus! Only if the mythical three headed dog has been constructed of three separate canines into one nightmarish fiend!

In the struggle with the Cerberus the youkai lost track of his son, but at the moment the beast's attention was on him, all three heads of it. Curling his lips back he bared his own vicious looking fangs and arched his shoulders. Giving his own bestial sounding roar to match the blood chilling shriek of the monster before him. In the surge of emotions that brought him here his fur was standing on end, making him look bigger. Not that it compared. Though what he lacked in size he made up for in sheer ferocity as the two canines circled one another. Had it not been a life threatening situation it may have been a comical sight having the much smaller youkai keeping the massive Cerberus on edge.

Aggression was his greatest weapon. With huge fangs bared and his crimson eyes glowing brightly he gave mock charges that kicked up dust while growling with all the threat and energy of rolling thunder. Always moving, the youkai banked and pranced about in search of an opening to strike. Effectively keeping the three headed beast dancing in a circle, searching for it's own chance it to strike before another of it's faces could be ripped to pieces. The damaged one of the three heads hanging to the side seeking refuge in the neck of another.

Unfortunately he youkai could not hold the upper hand very long. The Cerberus had a severe lack of patience and growing fed up with the game, even the injured one. It lunged back for him, all three maws open wide and trailing froth as the beast came down on top of the smaller canine. Yet just as quickly as it had him the youkai was gone before those yellowed teeth could reach him. On four paws he was far more nimble and rolling out of the way he took off running the moment his legs were back under him! Bolting right between those large legs and under it's belly.

Darting out from the other side of the Cerberus he wheeled around himself and leaped up onto the beasts hind quarters. His claws tearing through leathery hide like a hot knife through butter. Though it took all of his will power not to bite! Despite the feel of solid flesh and bone under his claws, this creature was covered in that same black goo that turned it into this monstrosity! Not something he wanted to risk ingesting. There was already concerns floating through his mind about touching this stuff as he was now.

The beast lurched wildly as it tried to shake him off, it's bulk hitting the wall hard and causing a scream that sounded very much like Kagome's to rise. That was right! In the heat of battle he'd nearly forgotten about those two! Scrambling his way up the huge beasts back he tried to use the vantage point to see where the young miko was. Spotting her a moment later high up on a perch of broken concrete high above the subway station! Now that he had the chance to look, he realized that the ceiling above him was raised. Almost hollowed out, as it something huge tried to dig up onto the street level. Leaving lots of dangling debris and ledges of broken concrete.

"Get out of here old man!" Inuyasha's tell tailed snarl rang out to his left moments before the hanyou came down on the Cerberus. Tetsusaiga cleaving one of the beasts heads cleanly off. The hanyou landing on the huge shoulder just behind the cleaved neck. He looked bloodied, his clothes covered in dark stains, with half his face battered, but he was still able to fight obviously and distract the monster.

Taking the opportunity to leap off the beast he hit the wall feet first and dug his claws in for purchase before he leaped with all his strength. The gouged wall was uneven at best, but he found his paw-holds on broken pipes and tangles of dead electrical wire. By no means was it an easy climb and more often then not he slipped and scrambled to keep from plummeting back down.

Kagome was trapped on a ledge that barely looked big enough to support her. From his angle he could not see any way that she'd gotten up there on her own, no doubt she was left there by Inuyasha. However if she were attacked, the girl would have no where to escape to and not enough room to fight. With Inuyasha busy down below him dealing with the Cerberus, the least he could do was help Kagome down from there. It was an intention that she quickly realized upon sight of him and she smiled as much as her split lip would allow her.

Of course, he had no idea how he could go about this! There was absolutely no way that both of them would fit on that small ledge, so as he climbed up Kagome leaned over and called down. "Can I ride on your back?" The miko's eyes darted nervously to Inuyasha as the beast wheeled back on him, landing a blow that sent him flying backwards. Worry lacing through her words as she turned back to the daiyoukai. "Please! I have to get down from here!"

If only he could talk in this form. He could inform her that he couldn't transform back with his heavy cargo. However that didn't stop him from giving her a lift! While claws scraped at stone he clamored enough to get himself up on the very edge of the ledge. Giving her a quick look of agreement. Kagome stared for a moment, only now getting a good look at his true form stripped of the cover of magic in an up close and personal way. Part of her wanted to stand there and compare the heavy looking canine before her with his more elegant son. But the hanyou's scream quickly snapped her out of it and spurred her to literally jump on!

Giving a snuff he braced himself against her unsteady weight, once he could feel her hands sinking into his fur for grip he leapt off the ledge. Something Kagome was not quite ready for and with a scream she wrapped her arms around his neck tightly while digging her heels into his sides! The dogs tongue rolled out as he made strangled sounds and squirmed! She was pinching his neck damned it! Though at the speed he was going back down that wall there was no stopping! He took the trip back down the wall in three bounds. Each one landing hard and jarring the poor woman on his back, who in turn tightened her grip on him!

By the time he reached the bottom her grip was vice-like and she was not even aware of his struggle for breath until she pulled her face from his back. Eyes widened, Kagome released her death-grip on her father-in-law. Making an apologetic face as he hung his head and wheezed! "I'm Sorry! I've never actually-" A dark shadow fell over them, cutting off the rest of the miko's sentence as she instead spurred her heels into his flanks and cried out! "RUN!"

On reflex he sprung, giving a snarl of surprise at the indignantly until he heard something large crashing into the ground back where they'd once stood! Followed by heavy steps as the Cerberus began it's chase. With a snuff he took off at nearly a full run, making some effort to be mindful of the young woman clinging to his fur for dear life! At least Kagome was trying to anyway, with one hand buried deep in the silver fluff she grabbed her bow with the other. However riding on a dogs back was not the same as riding on Inuyasha's. The dog's spine flexed with every stride, presenting a constant threat of dislodging her from her seat that only grew worse the faster he ran.

She would have to endure, for there was no way he could stop nor even slow down with the Cerberus hot on their heels. Yet for Kagome, the now two-headed dog monster was the least of her worries. The hanyou for the moment no where in sight again and it frightened Kagome to the core. Little did she know she wasn't alone, the youkai was also trying to spot his son as he ran, the smell of his blood was becoming ever stronger. Every fiber of him wanted to wheel around and go search for him. A desire that was impractical with that thing hot on his heels!

Something needed to be done to bring this monster down and running around in circles while being chased like a squirrel was no way to handle this! Unable to advise the miko of his intentions to end this game, he instead bucked like a horse! Forcing Kagome to catch herself and tighten her grip as she nearly flew off, crying out! " What are you doing!?"

He hoped she would understand quickly enough, as he leapt for the wall once again and raced his way straight up for several meters. The monsters jaws snapping just inches from the ends of his tail! Though as the other head tried to flank him the youkai's dug his claws into the packed dirt and in an instant he changed direction! Kagome giving a scream at the sudden jarring! It took all her strength to hang on tightly and as a reflex she closed her eyes, bracing herself!

She could feel the youkai hit something hard and tear into it with a snarling ferocity that sent shivers through her body. Beneath her finger tips she could feel the stirring of his youki and it made her skin crawl uncomfortably. She opened her eyes as his roar thundered in her ears and realized with panic that he was clinging to one of the Cerberus's faces! Clawing it to shreds with a viciousness that left the monsters head reeling in shock! Though at the same moment he failed to see the other head as it came for them, it's nightmarish jaws opened wide.

In an instant Kagome threw her hands up and unleashed a welling ball of purifying power that only expanded for the Cerberus's gaping maw. There was a bright flash of light, brighter than she'd ever seen before. Bright enough for her to know something was wrong and squinting her eyes she witnessed a sudden blast of power that sent both of them airborne!

The Cerberus gave another shriek of agony as it lurched away, while the youkai gave a snarl of his own and nearly threw the miko off as he landed un gracefully onto the ground. Initially she was clueless of what just happened. Then she caught the smell of scorched fur and burned skin, coming quickly to the realization of what she'd done! "I'm sorry!" She yelped, her eyes wide as the youkai limped for several steps in obvious pain.

Enough of this! With crimson eyes glowing bright he allowed his demonic power to flair and envelop him, shifting his form back. Kagome starting to stammer another apology when suddenly the fur was gone and something already lashed onto the youkai's back pushed her unceremoniously to the ground. "Oof! I said I was sorry! I've never hurt Inuyasha doing anything like that!"

There were a few choice words perched on the tip of his tongue but wisely he bit them back as he resigned himself to simply casting her an unhappy look. This woman was young in his eyes and yet her power was formidable, least from what he could tell by the smoke rising from his burned flesh. He'd faced the power of many spiritualists before in his life time but Kagome was the first he'd ever seen to be this green with that much power!

" I cannot have you on my back if I am going to be caught by friendly fire!" It took effort to make that sound only somewhat scolding. "Find a safe place and provide some cover fire!" That last sentence sounded a bit more exasperated than he intended. It amazed him how his son supposedly escaped her miss-fires unscathed. At the thought of his son a roar thundered through the underground chamber. Cutting off Kagome's retort before the words reached her lips. A good thing since she also didn't look too happy with him.

The beast came crashing down rather uncomfortably close beside them, it's body bowed at an odd angle. Perched on a flank was the hanyou, with the blade of the Tetsusaiga buried into the beasts side. The monster had been cut open, but it's belly spilled only black viscous goo instead of organs or bowels. Inuyasha flashed them a brief look with his good eye, the other swollen shut and the color of a ripe eggplant, before he tore the sword free from the monster that lay twitching below him.

What he didn't see how ever was the glimmers of light shivering softly around the body of the creature. The smell of necromancy quickly grew stronger as it hung like a fog in the air, raising the alarm for the youkai. His golden eyes widening as he looked up to his son and barked! " Inuyasha get down from there now!"

The command earned him a confused look from the hanyou, seconds before the beast lurched out from under him! It's huge body rolling over and narrowly missed crushing Inuyasha as he scrambled away. Kagome was the next to see what was happening, "The body is reforming!" before her eyes the monsters wounds were knitting closed and what looked like the beginnings of a new head were beginning to bud from the Cerberus's neck.

"Why isn't that thing dead yet?" Inuyasha snarled in frustration, wheeling the sword before him once again. Preparing for what looked to be another grueling fight, watching in dismay while more of the lights began to rise around the Cerberus. Doing a double take once he recognized what they were. Souls. Dozens of them floated in the air as blue-green willo-wisps, drifting gently along on a gentle current. Right for the hanyou!

There was only one way he knew how to respond to an unknown threat and that was to see if he could cut through it! Quickly taking the initiative he lunged a step forward and slashed at the orbs with the fang. Yet as the blade hit the dirt before him the most the sword managed was to stir the souls up like dandelion seeds floating in the wind. Otherwise uninfected they drifted right past the bewildered looking hanyou. The boy following them with his eyes in mute fascination until they reached …his father.

Standing a little ways behind his son, the youkai held up one of the twin swords, it's curved point held up he clutched at the sword with both hands. One on the hilt and the other flat against the curved blade itself. His head was bowed before it and his half lidded eyes gazed ahead in an eerie manner. There was magic surrounding him, it's charge crackling in the air and raising the hair on the back of the hanyou's neck. Even Kagome backed away in wake of it.

The souls gathered around that evil looking sword and began to vanish a few at a time, where they actually went the hanyou did his best to look. Could it have been the old man or the strange weapon he held? It was something he had to ponder another time as the weak cries of the Cerberus drew his attention back. What he witnessed was a relieving if sad sight as the monsters body began to deteriorate, practically melting into a dark pool.

However it wasn't the only on, another dark and shimmering puddle caught the boys eye, looking around him he watched in awe as more began to appear around them. Some releasing more souls to drift towards the old demon.

Kagome who was caught in awe at the sight quickly pieced it together. " Without the souls the monsters can't be animated. It's just like when-" Her eyes suddenly widened at the sight of the the Dark Queen herself rising from a pool of darkness right behind her father in law. The miko cried out but it was seconds too late as the Hand Maiden of the underworld wrapped her arms around the Daiyoukai.

So focused was he on the spell to summon the souls, that he didn't feel the sudden surging aura behind him until it was too late! A hand closed over his nose and mouth and in an instant he gasped and inhaled a glob of that putrid goo! The gag reflex kicked in and he clawed at his own face, trying to get the goo off that was threatening to suffocate him! His body violently twisting out of

the Shikome's embrace. Scattering the souls gathered around when his spell broke.

Staggering a few steps away he continued the desperate struggle to clear his air ways, somewhere in front of him he could hear his son and daughter in law screaming. Yet his eyes watered too much to see anything, including the two tentacles of black goo that speared him right through the stomach! Carrying him up off his feet with a sudden forced that doubled him in half and dislodged the bundle on his back. Sending swords raining down several feet below him.

Suffering was all his panic stricken mind could register. All he could seem to focus on was the two spears of obsidian that stuck through his stomach and out his back. His claws uselessly trying to dig into them in an effort to pry his body off. Unaware of the chaos erupting around him as more tentacles rose from the ground, but he cries and sounds of battle were little more than a distant sound.

All he could focus on right now was his own survival.

Air at the moment was his highest priority and if there was one thing good that came out of being impaled like this, it was that it forced a surge of blood up through his throat. Dislodging the goo blocking his airway and flushing it out as he coughed painfully and let his head hang. Thick crimson clung to his lips and stained his teeth as he gasped for air. Fighting back the terrible desire to pass out, to let the encroaching darkness take him. Blanketing him in it's comfort.

Inuyasha meanwhile was frantically fighting back the surge of tendrils reaching for them. Staying close to Kagome's side he put his effort into keeping the attacking things at bay while she tried to shoot down the Shikome. A difficult thing to do as his eyes often wandered to the limp form of his father dangling in the air.

Kagome was not doing too well herself, she let fly another arrow but the Shikome's form liquefied and flowed out of the way just as the arrow sailed past. Before solidifying back into the shape of a woman, her dark eyes and sinister smile turned on the pair. Perhaps enjoying this little game that left her such a frustrating target for the young miko.

Not that Kagome had any hope of doing much to the handmaiden of the underworld anyway, even if she did manage to land a shot! By no means was she delusional in her efforts, somehow she doubted that even her purifying powers could do anything to this creature! With a human growl she nipped another arrow from the quiver and quickly drew the bow. " What are you even after and why are you here!?"

The shaft of the arrow trembled in her shaky grip, while she squinted her eye and aimed for the so-called Dark Queen. Only to let out a shriek as something shot past her and the bow snapped into splinters in her hands. Before she could see what happened Inuyasha was right there and taking her in his arms. Retreating back beyond the reach of a tentacle that was spearing right for her.

Carrying an arm load of Kagome he slashed at the following tendrils with the Tetsuaiga. All the while the Shikome's laughter rang out over the chaos, her body having reformed before the helplessly dangling body of the Daiyoukai. Her petite hands reaching for him. Several yards away Inuyasha landed on a boulder and watched in frustration as he was basically barred back away from his father. Until he noticed something that made his blood run cold.

Dark veins were forming over the youkai's neck, everywhere the black goo had touched the skin and flesh were decaying rapidly. The Shikome's magic was devouring him alive and if the hanyou did not do something soon, he'd turn into a Nuribotoke.

"OLD MAN!" Panic rang through the hanyou's voice as he set Kagome down and jumped back into the fray of tentacles! Slashing the blade back and forth to clear a path as he snarled! "Let go of him you WITCH!"

Among the reek of blood he could smell fear, but not his own, he could hear his son's cries but he could not understand what he was saying. It was not often that he lost control like this, but then again staring death in the face could do that to even the most seasoned warrior.

"Do you know how long I have been hunting for you? "

The Shikome's voice was deceptively soft and gentle, like a mothers tone to a lost child. Slowly he looked up towards her face, so close he could see the beauty that was carved from obsidian. Yet far more magical. Her hands gently closed over his cheeks as her empty eyes gazed into his. The expression she wore was one of relief and joy as she spoke.

"You silly dog, hiding from me all this time. Did you ever know that you would one day pay for stealing the power of the gods?"

Blood drooled from his mouth as he tried to speak, but all he could do was made a small gargled noise. What in the seven hells had he done to warrant a Shikome's attention? Of all the things he'd managed to get in trouble for, how had he managed to earn the wrath of Izanami and yet never known it until now?

Trying to think right now was a difficult task within this fog of pain. But he forced his mind to work anyway as he tried to pull the pieces together.

"What's wrong?" The Shikome's smile slowly faded, her words becoming colder. "Do you not remember what you did? What you did many times over? What your cursed spawn has flaunted as well?" With every word her fingers dug into the flesh of his face, a terrible chill seeping through his skin. Weakly the youkai struggled but he only managed to sink further down the impaling spears.

"The power of life and death was not meant to be placed in the hands of mortals. Let alone a lowly youkai." She hissed softly and watched as he writhed in agony in her grasp. Now understanding.

Tensaiga. 

It was creation of Tensaiga that had unexpectedly drawn the attention of Izanami. With the blade he could cut down the creatures that carried the soul away upon death. Breathing life back into the body and stealing the soul from the hands of a Underworld Diety. This was something he never once though about! The consequences of possessing such a power, a secret and wonderful by-product of the Meidou Zangetsu.

Of course it would land him in trouble. Death did not like being cheated. Now he would pay for it and no doubt his eldest son if the Shikome's words were indeed true. The measures she went through however were mind blowing, an entire city suffered for this! So many killed, so many caught in her necromancy. All because this creature was after him! Yet one question burned in his mind, why had it taken this long for her to find him? What had stopped her? She was supposedly awakened by the earthquake, but where could she have been?

"Sleep now, sleep forever." She crooned softly as she drew near and gazed into his eyes, her desire to see the life drain from them all too apparent. "I will bring your soul back to my Lady as a long overdue gift."

The pain suddenly stopped.

Nothing was numb, besides maybe the wounds themselves, but he could feel her touch and the smooth texture of the spears that held him. Yet not pain, it was as if the pain was switched off. In it's place a little warmth flowed through him, a spark of magic that he was all too familiar with. His lip curled into a sneer, baring his blood stained fangs.

A clawed hand pressed to her chest, right where a heart would be had she been a living creature that needed such an organ. The Shikome's soft pleasantries evaporated in an instant the moment she noticed the sudden change in him. Her own lips curling into a silent snarl as she tried to discover what was happening. Then she looked into his eyes once more … and saw that someone else was looking back through them.

"It was _them_, wasn't it?" He whispered softly, still choking on a bit of his blood. Though it was a statement not a question. She knew what he was, because she'd discovered it long ago. No doubt she tried to take him back then, but _they_ beat her to him. Not surprising really, that _they_ had the power to seal one of Izanami's handmaidens away.

A voice finally caught up with her snarl and she retreated back, making it only a few steps when one of the hunters curved blades ripped through her back and burst through her chest! The air buzzed with magic powerful enough to make the hair on the back of ones neck stand on end. All around them the tendrils of goo began to quiver and drip, seemingly melting to the ground. Including the two that pierced the Daiyoukai, depositing him roughly back to the hard earth!

Inuyasha's momentum ceased as he witnessed the faltering things around him, shooting the Shikome a look as her body writhed and began to collapse in on itself. The sword within her clattering to the stone covered ground where it lay with an eerie shimmer.

"She is not defeated!" The youkai managed to croak before a coughing fit gripped him. The pain may have been gone but that did not mean the damage itself was! Clapping his hands over the gaping holes in his belly he tried to keep his insides from spilling out while he struggled to get up.

Kagome climbed down from the large rock and hit the ground with a yelp! Rubbing at her bruised rump while keeping her eyes peeled for the Shikome she called out to Inuyasha. "I need to tend his wounds before he bleeds out!" Not seeing any sign of their enemy she bounced to her feet and rushed past Inuyasha. Making a run towards her downed father in law.

A scream rose around the miko seconds before the Shikome herself reappeared, her body not quite reforming right. Her arms were much longer and her fingers looked gnarled as they reached for Kagome's face. Her own cry joined the Shikome's as she ducked down frantically, just as the Tetsusaiga swooped over her head to cut the creature down! Inuyasha giving a snarl as he pulled Kagome back. "She's using him as bait!"

A fact the youkai became quite aware of as well, along with the realization that her tentacles were no longer attacking. His blade had caused their enemy grave damage and the Tetsuaiga was helping to destabilize her reforming abilities even further. However these efforts would not kill her! With shattered strength he dragged himself towards the scattered swords. Reaching out to gather them up, an agonizingly slow process.

All the while, he was careful to keep his eyes cast away from the battle. Damaged and weakened as he was, it was not death that he feared at this moment. It was tingling sensation in the back of his mind that he feared, the feeling that he was not alone. The curved swords lay within his reach but he ignored them for the blood stained katana. Reaching the first he took the blade and used it like a walking stick. Bracing on it as he gathered himself to his feet. A hard thing to do when you had two holes punched through your body.

One by one he limped towards the weapons at an agonizingly slow pace, trying with all his might to keep his eyes cast down to the floor. All while the battle raged behind him and the pain filled cries of his son made his heart ache. With grim determination he pushed himself along till the last of the five swords were collected, now came the difficult part. The first blade was stabbed into the earth, requiring a little effort to sink it down till it could stand up straight.

While he worked, somewhere behind him another snarl from his boy echoed, followed by the sound of a falling body. It sent a shiver along his spine as his resolve wavered, he almost looked. Yet stubbornly he kept his eyes down on his feet as he took carefully measured his steps. Pacing in a large circle twenty feet across, planting each sword as he went along until he reached the last. By now the pain was seeping back, a mixed blessing but more importantly it warned him that he was running out of time. Heaving a wheezing breath his sunk to a knee and gripped the hilt of the blade with a hand. Bowing his head to it and closing his eyes.

A blast of purifying power erupted from Kagome's hands, crackling over the viscous liquid that formed a vague shape of a face. The Shikome's form shivered and slowed but did not cease it's attack, slimy looking clawed fingers lashing out for her face in turn. Nimbly Kagome bounced back on her heels, staying just out of reach. There was no way she could fight this thing, but with Inuyasha laying dazed on the ground as he was, the best thing she could do was keep their adversary busy while he recovered.

Without warning a flash of crimson and blue light filled the ruined subway station, distracting both of the fighters for a moment. Kagome chanced a look to her father in law and found herself staring in morbid curiosity. Small tongues of flame licked along the blades of each sword, enveloping them in a light that dimmed as she watched. The youkai himself was silent and still as he rested upon on knee, his head bowed and resting on the arm that held the sword. It almost looked like he was asleep, had Kagome not caught the faint hint of glowing crimson eyes and the altering pattern of his facial stripes, she would have thought so too.

Impossible would it be though for anyone to sleep when the forces of the supernatural were in full swing. Or in this case, full spin! If it were not for the swirling dust Kagome may have never seen the youki gathering in the center of the circle. There it seemed to condense while crackling and popping like fireworks. Sparks of light began to dance among the circle of swords, arcing from one blade to another.

It was a mesmerizing sight and Kagome found it difficult to draw her eyes away. Luckily for her the Shikome was far too engrossed in rebuilding herself to attack them again just yet. A good thing, for the miko did not want to miss what came next. Each of the blades began to darken, reaching an all too familiar sheen. In the next instant power flashed light lightening from each of the five blades and within the blink of an eye the Meidou opened.

It wasn't a perfect circle, in truth it looked like five crescents orbiting one another to form a fractured looking globe of darkness. But it was a good sized Meidou and beautiful one at that. If only she had more time to marvel at it! Inuyasha was at her side in an instant, scooping her up and carrying her out of the strike of the Shikome!

"Don't take your eyes of off her Kagome!" He scolded bitterly when he landed at a safe distance. Their enemy already reforming herself, growing stronger by the minute! Though she looked rushed, her body movements jerky and shaking unsteadily. Her head turned towards the Meidou as it hung in the air with an ominous hum. Giving the hanyou time to rush into place, the Tetsusaiga took on a shimmer until the blade itself turned black.

The Shikome turned on the hanyou just as the sword unleashed it's own form of the Meidou Zangetsu. In an instant several blades of the attack sliced through her form, the remaining pieces floating within the air for several long seconds. While the remains of the attack struck the larger Meidou several yards behind her. The result was chaotic.

When one Meidou Zangetsu struck another Meidou Zangetsu, the strongest devoured the weaker of the two portals. The Tetsusaiga's attack hit the orbiting crescents of the portal and immediately began to draw them in. There were so many of them however, all fighting to absorb the five slivers that the hostile acquiring of power triggered a vacuum! One that's alarming winds were picking up and carrying anything within its reach.

Quickly Inuyasha grabbed a hold of Kagome and stabbed the Tetsusaiga into the ground, using it as an anchor. Looking on in rapt fascination as the remains of the Shikome vanished within the darkness of the portal to the underworld. But the Meidou Zangetsu was far from finished. The youkai kneeling beside it could feel the power of the portals pull strengthening. Crimson eyes looked up in time to see each of the five swords crumbling into dust before being sucked into the reforming and growing portal!

It had slipped from his control. 

Never had he tried this before without the aid of his proper weapons, it should not be surprising that the power could run amok without a proper medium to channel it. Now it was expanding and swallowing everything around it! Without a thought he dove away from the unstoppable portal. Transforming into his canine form as he hit the ground and scrambling away, not quite able to fully run with his injuries.

The fascination on he hanyou's face was lost when he realized that his father was running away from the Meidou! "Something's wrong…" Sheathing the blade at his side he took Kagome's hand and began to run! More than once looking over his shoulder for the old dog, but the ever expanding Miedou left him with little time to search. Gritting his teeth he scooped the miko up and took off! The edge of the portal expanding right behind him. Devouring everything in it's wake.

The subway station itself was swallowed within moments, the structural integrity of the underground tunnel quickly becoming unable to support itself. On the surface, the entire parking lot of the hospital began to cave in. Cracks raced over pavement and up the remaining walls of the hospital, before splitting wide and caving into what quickly became a massive crater.

Within seconds the hospital building came down. Almost the entirety of the building tumbling into the crater, where it was swallowed nearly whole by the Meidou. All that was left settled to the bottom as the black portal itself at last dissipated and vanished. Leaving behind an eerie silence and stillness save for the soft sounds of crumbling earth.

Out from the remains of a storm drain that had been split open in the violent emergence of the Meideou, the youkai squirmed his way out. With great care he pulled himself out onto the buckled pavement and sat his rump down. He was battered and his fur was soaked in his own blood, yet somehow he found the strength to look around. The very first thing he noticed, much to his relief was that the Nuribotoke were gone. Whether they had perished when the Shikome's spells broke or they ran away, he did not know.

There were still wolf demons around, many were daring to approach the hollowed ruins of the hospital. How many had survived he wondered? What would their alpha think if she discovered the truth about the Shikome's motive? Any other time that could be a legitimate worry, but at the moment his heart pounded in his chest painfully over another concern.

Inuyasha was nowhere to be found. Neither could he catch his scent in the air. In their wild escape he could have sworn he'd seen him race for the exit. The walls of the pit were steep but not impossible for him to have climbed. Fear settled in the bottom of his stomach, cozying itself up with the pain that was running through his body. Despite his grave injuries the youkai got up and began search for a higher vantage point. Even thinking about digging through the rubble to look for his son.

The _what if's _began to surface next as his parental instincts were going haywire with worry. Which was not really helping anything at the moment! Climbing up onto the roof of a minivan he searched the rubble and mess for any sign of his boy. But the longer he searched the more that fear knotted in his stomach tighter and tighter. Suddenly digging through the rubble seemed like a very good idea, mortal wounds be damned!

"DAMNT!" Inuyasha's annoyed curse filtered between two pieces of concrete. Before clawed hands followed to grip one of the chunks of broken building and pushing them apart. He was the first to climb out of the wreckage, looking just as battered and bloody as the youkai did. Taking a moment to brush off his hands he reached down to help Kagome out.

"I hope the rest of the wolves are alright." Kagome sounded just as exhausted, but of course her thoughts were on the wounded left from the battle. Once she was finally settled on her feet she gave a quick look around. " I don't see any monsters around!"

Using his good eye the hanyou surveyed the damage around him, taking into account that the wolves were disappearing with their wounded. The fight was over. The battle one. "It's finally over." He made a little effort to smirk, but his face ached too much to have that. Rubbing a cheek tenderly he looked about once again. " Hey, do you see the old man anywhere?"

Together the pair searched the devistation around them but all they could see was a ruined and lonely minivan.

Chapter 29 - End

Authors Note:

Hello, I'd like to thank my readers who are so patient with me. I know I am taking more time between chapters but real life is getting in my way. This month was especially busy and personally trying for me. However I want to assure my readers I am committed to finishing this story. I am going to do some corrections for the last few chapters, mostly little details that are wrong. Then I am going to jump to the next story arc for this dog demons adventures.

Again I thank all my readers!


	40. The New Book

Chapter 40 - The new book.

_Four hundred years earlier..._

Darkness was all he could see. It surrounded him like a blanket, protecting him from the cold world beyond and soothing his troubled mind. Over the time he'd known this darkness he'd become friends with it, welcomed it and embraced it. Within this darkness he would curl himself up, surrendering his thoughts, emotions and dreams to it. Feeling solace within the silent void left in it's wake. Nothing could reach him here. At least, he felt that nothing could reach into it's security. However it was while he rested deep within this place of comfort that he heard it, a soft voice echoing faintly in the distance. It was the barest of whispers just loud enough to gain his attention but yet try as he might he could not make out the words.

How bothersome! All he wanted to do was rest here and then this little voice had to come along and tug at his ear. Whoever was pestering him could have at least had the decency to speak up! Instead he was left straining his ears, trying to pinpoint the source of it. Allowing it to lure him out from from the protective blanket of his dreams, drawing him closer to where he thought it had come from. The voice whispered again but just as before he could not make out what it was saying. Tilting his head towards the sound he listened carefully.

Someone flicked his nose.

With a flinch a hand clapped over the offended appendage while his eyes slowly opened though his vision was still clouded by sleep as he peered about for the perpetrator. When he at last regained focus a woman's face leaned right into his line of sight. A pretty face, clean of makeup and framed by dark hair pulled into a simple but elegant bun. She smiled at him, or more accurately at his dumbfounded expression and playfully cuffed his ear.

"You sleep too long! Up now! Up-up!" She bounced back off the edge of the bed and rocked on her heels. A teal colored kimono swirling around her petite frame as she danced a moment at his bed side and excitedly beckoned him with a hand motion. She looked like a young servant girl from a time all too familiar to him. Lovely and energetic with a sweet musical voice and a gentle touch that would sooth even the rawest of emotions. She would fit right in with the staff of a small noble house.

It was a ruse that he knew better than to believe. It had been some time since he was first brought out of his hundred year solitary confinement by this woman and her companion. (He was careful not to use the word 'freed'.) But he remembered what had happened that day and more importantly, remembered what this creature was capable of. Had he been in a wiser state of mind he'd not be so quick about testing her patience, but the temptation to go back to sleep was too great. Giving a childish little groan he rolled over till his back faced her and reached a clawed hand down for the bed covers.

However after pawing about in a silly way for a few moments he quickly became aware that the bed covers were gone. Now that he was awake enough to notice, so were his clothes. A quick look about failed to tell him where his garb had gone off too. Sucking in a breath he bit back the curse that threatened to roll off his tongue! The battle to remain in bed was lost before it could even start, accepting that fact he begrudgingly sat up and used some of his unbound long hair to salvage what was left of his dignity. Golden eyes narrowing, casting the giggling woman an irritable look.

Buried deep within him was the desire to snap at her for this embarrassment! Though he knew in the end it was his fault really, considering he wasn't actually asleep when she pulled this little prank. Had he been simply asleep, the sound of a pin drop fifty feet away would have roused him.

What she'd awakened him from just now was in truth a deep state of hibernation. It's grip strong enough to leave him unconscious and oblivious to the world around him for days, weeks or in this case just long enough to be stripped naked! Rubbing his face irritably with a free hand he sighed and accepted the woman's giggle of triumph in stride. Mumbling to himself. " I do not know why I keep falling into such a terrible sleep."

The bed shook a moment as she jumped on, the youkai peering over at her just in time to feel a finger jab into his stomach. Not an easy thing to do considering how small of a target it was at the present time. A shriveled little pitiful target. Making an unhappy sound as her finger brutally poked at the soft flesh once more, he swatted her hand away and flashed a stern glare. Which she matched without fail.

"You sleep so longs 'cause you no eat!" All the giddy joy and playfulness was lost from her in that instant. No longer was she giggling at his folly, but instead hissed and scolded him in way that sounded odd coming from her otherwise sweetly pitched voice! It was times like this the youkai could not help but wonder why she had an odd sounding accent, one he never could place. Although she looked like a young japanese woman, he harbored a suspicion in his mind that she more than likely never even once visited any part of the country, or even any part of asia for that matter. The accent was so far removed from any tongue he'd ever heard.

The first time he heard this woman speak to him he'd no idea what she had said, but he'd been so confused by this accent that he actually thought she was from somewhere on the mainland and responded back to her in Mandarin. When she didn't acknowledge his words he tried another one of the few dialects he'd picked up during the countless trips to the mainland and Korean kingdoms over the course of his life. Each time she only smiled and giggled at him, never responding in a way that told him she understood. After a long go of this little game he grew annoyed and his long unused wit suddenly resurfaced, grumbling in his native tongue he called her as beautiful as a flower and just as brainless.

She slugged him. Hard. A blow so swift he never saw it coming and so powerful that he was thrown off his feet and landed flat on his back. When his vision cleared up enough to see once again she was kneeling at his side with a warm smile as if nothing had happened. That was the day he discovered that this creature was far from the petite young lady what she wanted to seem to be. This was also the first he'd learned about the magic floating in the air that translated every word spoken into a form the listener could understand. Once he'd become aware enough of it to accept it's effects of course.

This was one of the many magics swirling in this strange world.

It still didn't help him determine what kind of accent she had, however it did serve and an eye opener to what this woman may actually be. Though before he could ponder it further another jab to his poor stomach brought his attention back to that said woman sitting angrily beside him. Her attention fully focused on his wasted frame and the concave spot on his body where a belly should have been. Giving an almost cute little sound of frustration she launched an assault of rapid pokes hard enough to make him squirm! " Why you no eat!?"

Having had enough of the abuse he scooted away from her, rubbing at his belly in a vain effort to ease the discomfort. Near the bed was a large full length mirror and for a brief moment he caught a look at himself in all his nude glory. Youkai did not starve in the same way as human's did. When a human's body begins to waste away the muscle tone was the first to go, where as on a youkai it was the last. As he was right now he had some muscle definition along his shoulders and chest. But his ribs were protruding along with his collar and hip bones.

As if his state wasn't sorry looking enough, there were other signs of emaciation and malnutrition that he did not need a mirror in order to see. His claws were cracked and brittle, his hair dry and coarse as straw and his face felt as gaunt as he knew it looked. Giving him quite a monstrous appearance. With a soft sigh he turned back to the angry little woman and offered the only answer he could give. "My apologies Hana-chan, but I've simply forgotten."

Not a very good excuse, was it? Yet it was the truth. While he'd been kept imprisoned, he never once felt hunger or thirst and somehow he survived without taking any form of sustenance. All thanks to a spell weaved over him, keeping him alive and nourished while silencing any potential urge for food and drink. Unfortunately that was all he knew about it, along with the fact that it was long gone now. If not without a few side effects as it seems he still possessed the lack of interest in food or drink. Because of this he'd become very good friends with starvation and also Hana's discontent.

Awkward, was the only word he could come up with to explain the feeling of knowing full well you were harming yourself, yet you're unable to stop it on your own. Having to answer to Hana for it was not very pleasant either. Lately he'd been doing that quite a bit and each time Hana became more infuriated with him.

"You will eats everything I give you today! Or I feeds you!" The glimmer in her eyes was a dangerous one, making it quite clear that she wasn't joking.

Any thought of getting back at her for that prank earlier evaporated as the mood shifted with those words. Narrowing his eyes back to her in response, he took great care not to openly challenge her. 'Or I'll feed you' sounded innocent enough, if you considered having your head bound back, your jaws pried open and a metal tube forced down your throat to be innocent. In some parts of the land that was a form of medieval torture and just the memory alone made his stomach hurt.

"There is no need for that, I am actually quite hungry right now and a meal sounds lovely." There was caution in every word, from a controlled tone to a forced little smile. Anything it took to make him look sincere and believable.

Hana huffed and slid off the bed, taking no more than a few steps when her form simply vanished. Almost like she'd just stepped out of a door. One he had yet to ever see. In all the times people had come and gone from here, he never once saw this door they used, or any such door for that matter. Another of the many oddities he had to become accustomed to here. Some of which he still could not wrap his head around. For a moment his eyes lingered where she disappeared, searching for a ripple of magic or a hint of an illusion as he'd done many times before. Finding nothing and with a soft huff of his own he gave up.

Getting out of the bed he made a small effort to search for his stolen clothing. But much like the door this too was an effort in vain as everything was gone, his clothes, the bed sheets and blankets had all been spirited away. Giving up the search as well he resigned himself to simply wait until Hana had grown bored of this game and returned with them. As she often did when she played her little pranks. Much to his dismay. Despite the embarrassment he never really complained, not vocally anyway. For the simple reason that he needed something to keep him awake, her tricks were annoying but they prevented him from regressing back to the catatonic state that he'd spent most of his captivity in. Thus in a way it was an annoying form of motivation.

Besides, whether he liked her methods or not, he did agree that she took care of him in the end. Now if only she could help him make sense of this strange place here? Every time he asked a question she refused to offer an answer. An infuriating thing as he desperately wanted to know exactly what he was facing. Silently his eyes dropped to the polished marble floor. Following it towards the darkness where he assumed a wall was. Here as where the 'room' failed to be a room, it lacked walls of any kind. Well, perhaps he should say the room lacked walls of the normal kind. One of the purposes of a wall was to keep things in and that was what the darkness managed to do just fine.

Oh he did try once to walk towards them, the closer he approached the darker the world became around him. Then that foreboding feeling would creep up along his spine. A tingling that began on the back of his skull and worked it's way down. Raising the hairs on his neck on end as irrational fear threatened to paralyze him. It never failed, every time he tried he could not get very far and was forced to retreat back into the light of the room. To him this was the worst embarrassment. Long ago he could stare down deaths cold empty eyes and not flinch and here a little bit of chilling darkness was enough to stop him in his tracks!

Just the mere thought of what could lay there gave him goosebumps. Rubbing a little warmth back into his chilled skin, he almost wanted to believe that maybe death was in fact waiting for him somewhere in that wall of darkness. Though he knew better. No one here wanted him dead. At least the room, and he used that term loosely, was a spacious one, with a large bed that was obviously comfortable enough to hibernate on. Braving the darkness did not seem practical right now. Or perhaps ever.

At the very least it was an improvement from his tomb. How long he was imprisoned there, no one seemed to know, but it was long enough for him to forget what it felt like to be alive. It was a small room made up of solid stone, the ceiling just a bit too low for him to stand up straight and the floor was covered with barely an inch of dirt. He was alone there surrounded by darkness, stale air and no sound other than the shuffle of his feet on the floor or ... his screams.

Not screams of pain though, during his time here he could not say he'd ever been harmed without reason and while in the tomb the only harm he suffered was self-inflicted. They didn't need to. It was the absolute silence and lack of light that affected him in the worst ways. It whittled away at his sanity to the point he questioned his own existence. For months he struggled in an endless search to escape, clawing at the dirt or trying to break the stone walls with his fists.

He fought with someone else as well. The voice that echoed through his mind, calm and soothing would sometimes manifest. At first he violently refused it and paced his tiny cell endlessly to try and ignore it. Rarely was he given little snippets of news from his former life, all of it bad. He knew when his beloved Izayoi had suffered, knew when she perished and knew when his youngest son was lost. This was what damaged him more than any blade or spell. To know his loved ones were lost and to be powerless to do anything, it tore him apart.

After a long struggle, the last shreds of his mind finally slipped away and he succumbed to the madness. Believing that he was indeed dead he retreated to the corner of his tomb and curled up. Falling still and closing his eyes, willing it all away. Willing himself away. He fell into a comatose state where an escape ultimately presented itself. Within his dreams. Here his human love was alive and his youngest son loved to play tricks on him.

The only contact he'd received while there was a single voice, one that cut through his consciousness no matter how deeply he sunk into his dream like states. Gently convincing him to listen and accept it's presence. Accept the fact that everyone he'd ever known was gone. That the life he had before was lost forever and the people who once knew of him no longer cared to remember him. The little voice told him that he had to accept the fact that there was nothing left for him and thus, he too, was nothing. Unneeded and useless.

A shiver ran down his spine at the memory and he quickly searched for a distraction to help him shake it off. At the heart of this room was a large oak desk, carved and decorated to suit the taste of someone who very much liked dragons. It would have looked majestic had he not left it nearly buried beneath writing supplies, from quills and ink bottles to a small stack of parchment. Most of which was hidden beneath the stacks of reading materials, including one large tome left open on the very top of the pile. Surrounding this was several large shelves filled with books of every shape and kind.

Turning his attention to the desk, he made his way over and gazed upon the book, still opened on the page he last left off. His fingertips traced lightly over the gold leaf border of the yellowed old pages. Silently studying the dark lettering penned there years ago. Such books like this one had been his only real source of entertainment. Whenever someone wasn't entertaining themselves at his expense that is. Within these pages were stories about other worlds that held different cultures and creatures. Some sounded very similar, while others were beyond even his imagination. There were books on everything from faerie folk to sea monsters around the world. All interesting reading for him at the very least, but he could not help but wonder at his own predicament.

His eyes wandered to his hand that lay upon the book. Reflecting on how, despite the ravages of his current condition, it looked the same as he always remembered. Which bothered him greatly, as it wasn't his hand. Not his flesh, not his bone, not his blood, or more precisely it wasn't his originally. No longer was he the dog youkai he once was, now he was an Inugami and the differences still haunted him. Lifting up that hand he silently stared at his palm. He was a dog demon's spirit that had possessed a human long ago, it was frightening how well his demonic power had consumed every last shred of humanity. Fueled by the power of emotion, promises and a sacrificed soul his wicked nature that he took such great care to control in his life surfaced unchecked and he became this creature.

Part of him mourned the poor man who fell victim to this vile ritual, but that was not enough to stop the feeling of fascination that followed on it's heels. Inugami were wretched tortured souls that existed only to wreak havoc when not fulfilling their summoners malicious intents. Least that was what he'd learned of the creatures, they were not very common after all. Only the foolish or those driven to insanity would undergo the dark ritual necessary to raise an Inugami. Most of them perished when the monster ultimately turned on them. All Inugami eventually turned on their masters.

That wasn't what raised his curiosity however, it was the fact that all Inugami started as normal dogs. Always a beloved pet, loyal and loving of the master who would one day subject it to the torture that would turn it into a youkai. The way he was raised however was a bit unorthodox to say the least. Or could he say that? Flexing his fingers one by one he mulled over the simple truth; he harbored no memories of that ritual. Nor was he sure he retained actual memories of anything else, in his catatonic state dreams melded into reality. For the life of him he could not separate the two and quite frankly he wasn't all that motivated to try.

What good would it do him now? A soft groan followed that thought as he closed his eyes and sighed. There was no point in dwelling over things that were beyond his control, which so far has been quite a bit. Opening his eyes again he cast a forelong look at the book before him.

"Did you lose your glasses again?" A musical voice startled him from his private moment with the book and he turned just in time to catch the stack of clothing thrust into his arms! Stumbling back a step from the unexpected force He shot an annoyed look at the second of his two caretakers. She was as beautiful as Hana, dressed in the same style of kimono with her hair pulled up into a simple pony tail. Her eyes were a soft chestnut brown color that went well with her inky black hair, but unlike the childish Hana this woman wore an air of maturity like a cloak.

She was also quite tall. Matching his height in fact and it was something she used often to her advantage. Catching his annoyed expression she walked boldly up until her nose practically touched his. Those deceptively soft eyes glaring right at him with a scolding look. The effect was immediate as he froze before her, golden eyes narrowing right back. Meeting her gaze without falter. Deep down he knew perfectly well that this wasn't a wise thing to do, that nothing would come out in his favor from it. Nothing ever did, as this wasn't the first time they faced off like this and every time whether he won or lost this staring match the outcome was unpleasant. As if to add to that feeling of dread she spoke again in a low, painfully patient tone. "I asked you a question."

There was the part of him that was determined to hold onto what was left of his pride. This woman never missed an opportunity to remind him of her authority. Much like Hana she was tasked at caring for his needs, but unlike Hana she seemed to possess a certain kind of regard for him. Or lack thereof. Holding his ground he curled a lip to bare a fang, making it quite clear that he would not submit to her. He already rolled over and bared his belly more than enough as it was.

In the corner of his eye he could see her first balling up, in response he flexed his own clawed fingers. But it was her scelestious smile that stayed his hand right where it was. " Be a good boy, or I'll put you back in your cage." There was a little edge to her tone that goaded him and if he had still had fur it would be bristling right about now. A growl threatened to bubble up from the pit of his shriveled stomach, but wisely he swallowed it back down. This little situation had escaped his control, just as he'd knew it would, leaving him feeling much a trapped animal.

The tension was reaching a dangerous level when Hana literally popped right back into the room with a loud giggle! Balancing before her a large tray of food with glasses that clanked loudly against the plates. Effectively distracting them from that heated little game and probably saving him from an ill fate. With eye contact broken between them he turned away to get dressed as if nothing at all had happened while Hana busied herself with arranging the meal. The other woman resigning herself to cleaning the books off the desk, making no effort to hide her smirk. "He's so useless!" She chimed in a playful tone. Which idly brought up a mental image of a cat playing with a helpless mouse to him.

"He misplaces things all the time! His glasses, his clothes and his bed sheets! " She continued smugly as Hana giggled, setting the tray down and arranging the meal while shooting him amused looks. Giving a huff he bit back a word of retort and quickly dressed himself, despising the fact that he was being gossiped about as if he were not in the room. Wanting more than ever to hiss a few choice words at them, but what good would that do him?

Truth be told he knew very little about these two ladies. They were the first faces he'd seen when he was brought out of his tomb. They forced him to walk, they gave him a bath and nursed over him while he was half blind and too weak to stand for long. Yet in return he did not even know their names, nor would they divulge anything else. Leaving him to come up with his own names for the two instead.

Hana was given her name after that ill fated witty comment, the word made her giggle and if there was one thing he learned right away, it was that keeping her amused spared him from her insufferable pranks. Meanwhile the other woman was simply named Okotte. Though he never dared say what word that name was derived from out loud. Fixing the rough spun cotton pants around his protruding hip bones he snuck a little look over his shoulder at them, at this point Hana had joined in the hunt for the glasses. Finding them buried under a stack of parchments after a quick frisk. "I finds!"

Okotte flashed her a relieved look that became stern when it was turned on him. " Do not lose it this time or I will sew them onto your face!" In a way he was curious to know if it was even physically possible to do something like that, though he knew better than to chide back. Because she would actually try.

Hana turned the glasses over in her hands and inspected the antique looking wireframes. " He won't lose no more. I sure. But I wants to make sure he remember promise to eats!"

"Yes he best, " Okotte sighed and plucked the glasses from Hana's hands, taking a moment to clean the lenses with a soft cloth. " He needs to be in good health if he wants to leave this room."

Feeling more than a little self conscious now that the topic of conversation switched to his physical condition he quickly turned his back on them. Mumbling something incoherent in answer. Was she teasing him? Burying his head into the shirt he was pulling over, he lingered that way a moment and listened as the women finished up their tasks. By the time he pulled his head up through the shirt, they were both gone. Gazing upon where they once had stood he gave a little mixed sigh of both relief and disappointment. Brushing his clothing down he calmly walked towards the desk, sinking himself down into the chair.

The glasses they had fussed over were left neatly folded on top of a book. Consisting of a pair of round lenses held in a gold wire frame, by themselves they looked innocent. Not that he'd ever seen glasses before in his life, but the bauble looked quite unassuming, if still quite amazing. A clawed hand reached over to pick up the eyepieces, angling a lense just enough to catch the old and strange script written on a crumbling parchment. By himself the youkai had no idea what any of it meant, but the moment he looked through the lenses the magic took effect. Breaking up the brush strokes, rearranging the lines, until the roman characters were gone and the far more familiar kanji was in it's place.

This was just another small taste of the magic all around him, from the spells that translated every spoken word, to the magic keeping him confined to this room. Setting the glasses down again he turned his attention to the meal set out for him. The smell of simmered beef and vegetables finally drawing a reaction from his near dormant stomach. The fresh bread baked with savory herbs smelled wonderfully irresistible as well. Odd as he was never a fan of bread before, his first taste of it having come from china. The bread tasted like the clay ovens that they were baked in.

Picking up the loaf and a knife he set to slicing it, his mind wandering over Okotte's words. Were they really planning to let him out of this room? What would happen once he was brought to a healthy weight? What was out there beyond these magical 'walls'? Obviously there was some plan in the works for him, otherwise what good would it have been to take him from his home and go through all this effort?

_Home._

Not once had he thought of returning home since he was pulled from the tomb, of course he had dreamed of home but long ago he gave up any hope of ever seeing it again. That home was long gone, leaving nothing more than a dream and that is how it should stay. There was no reason for him to ever go home, there was nothing left for him to return to. There was no reason why he should have thought of home. Those thoughts sped through his mind chaotically as the knife slipped and sliced a shallow cut over his palm. Cursing bitterly he dropped everything he was holding and gazed silently at the welling blood. Sighing softly at his own incompetence.

Licking the wound he turned his attention back to the meal. His stomach no longer so eager for any of it, though he knew if he didn't at least make an effort, Hana would take matters into her own hands. Casting the cut one last rueful look he took a cloth napkin to wrap it, wondering how long it would be until the wound closed? This body, new as it was, had a healing rate that was slower than he was used to. Then again there was still much he needed to adapt to with this flesh. This was only the beginning.

A new body, a new world, a new life and a new purpose. There may have been nothing he could do to redeem his old life, that book had long since closed and was left on the shelf to gather dust. But now there was a new book, small and secret, ready and waiting for the new adventures to fill it's pages. Picking up a fork, he speared some of the perfectly rare beef and dabbed the bread in to soak up the flavorful broth. Settling in to try and eat.

Chapter 40 - End.


	41. Whispers through the Mind

Chapter 41 - Whispers through the Mind.

The paper crumbled under his fingertips, shedding tiny flakes of parchment all over the desk. Some were coming loose from the simple leather cords that served as bindings and held in leaves of paper to a splintered spine. The tome was obviously fragile and its words faded as the ink was slowly rubbed off by time, but the stories written within were intriguing. It would be a shame to let them disintegrate away. With great care he turned the page and lay it flat in a way that he'd hope to not have to disturb it again. Fixing his glasses on the bridge of his nose he took a moment to read the barely visible letters.

On the desk beside him was a stack of paper, each sheet carefully arranged in front of an inkwell and stone. Once he was satisfied with what he was reading, he plucked the glasses off and picked up the feathered quill. Dabbing its tip into the dark ink while he studied the roman letters on the page. Latin this was called. Each character looked like a pattern of dark little boxes and circles to him, utterly lacking the delicate beauty and complexity of kanji. But what made them ugly in his opinion also made them easy to copy. With a careful hand he worked meticulously on duplicating each letter, down to the smallest subscript.

This was how he spent the long hours alone in his chamber. Bent over this desk either reading or copying old tomes. There was nothing else left to do, other than sleep or pace about, thus he turned all his focus on the library he'd been supplied with and applied himself to the task of working his way through every book on the shelf. Copying the old texts in both their original language and his own native script. When his writing hand grew cramped he would select a book that was in good shape and simply study. The library was abundant with books from many parts of the world and witten in several languages, all of which he could read with the help of the glasses.

Some of the books were filled with stories, some were informational and some were historical but all were centered around cultures, the occult and the magical creatures associated with them. There were more than a few books that caught his attention well enough to keep him sitting there for hours. This book he was currently working on was one such amazing piece and seeing it crumble away was depressing. He'd wind up slaving at it for hours until his back began to ache from his posture and his rear following right after.

Unfortunately in this world without accurate means of telling time, he had to find other ways of judging time. For instance, he could tell how long he'd been sitting there by how much his butt hurt from sitting in this hard chair!

A fingertip trailed along the edges of the pages, counting how many he'd completed with an air of satisfaction. Setting down the quill he gave into the protests of his posterior and got up, needing a moment to work the stiffness out of his neck and back with a stretch.

"How do scholars manage an entire life of this I wonder?" Reaching a hand behind him he worked on a stiff knot in his back while aimlessly walking along an all too familiar path around the room. One he'd paced far too many times now and probably would continue to, much like a caged animal. Sitting still didn't agree with him, or at the very least didn't agree with his rear. Thus he walked circles around his room and stretched his legs out as best as he could. Sometimes daydreaming of running free over the hills and through the green forests. On all fours that is rather than on two legs.

His pacing came to a halt before the large mirror, standing at nearly nine feet high and four feet across it was more than adequate enough to capture his full reflection. It's frame of beautiful rose wood carved to look like the flowers that once bloomed from it. It was nothing like he'd ever seen before, with a surface so clear and bright that he could have sworn he was looking into water. Certainly it was not like the small brass mirrors he was familiar with.

But that is where his admiration of the mirror ended. There was something about this piece of furniture that left him with an ill feeling of foreboding. Just one look into it's reflection raised red flags deep in his mind though as of yet he'd not seen anything ill come of the thing. If only he could say the same of what he saw within it. His gaze turned to his reflection and that foreboding feeling shifted to one of loathing as he looked over his physical state. At the very least he'd recovered a fair amount from his malnourished state. His face and body had filled in thanks to Hana's meal regiment. However he looked somewhat...soft.

Even youkai had to work to build muscle tone. They did not magically retain a strong built physique without putting in any effort. He was no longer showing off skin covered bones, but at the same time he wasn't showing much else. Tilting his head, he drew a hand through his silvery hair and gazed upon the strands that spilled between his fingers. Looking much the same as he'd always remembered. What little he remembered.

Much like his hair, he hardly paid much attention to all the Inugami he'd encountered in his life. Often these malicious spirits of dogs took on varying degrees of transformations. From being ghostly entities that followed their victims; smothering them with negative energy until they succumbed: to those poor souls who were possessed by them, some transforming into strange crosses of man and dog. All were mediocre youkai usually, though occasionally he'd encountered a particularly strong one, but typically they were easy enough to destroy or banish- for those who knew how.

Of course there were exceptions. There always was. There was one Inugami he knew of personally that stood apart from the others. So much so that he'd forgotten where that wicked monster had started from. The Ghost Dog, Oshoromaru. He'd begun life as a pet dog belonging to a merchant's daughter, only to have been taken from her and tortured to death in the ritual intended to an Inugami. However, as time passed he gathered more and more power, growing so frightfully strong that he turned into something these books might have labeled as a 'Hell Hound'. A youkai that could survive and cross back and forth between the living world and the undead lands.

Macabre and yet inspirational. How ironic that such a dreadful story suddenly had a small glimmer of hope buried within it just for him? Never would he be able to return to his former power, and as he stood there now he could not feel more than a trickle of power within him. A power too delicate and frail for him to touch never mind tap into. That trickle was all that remained of his once impressive power, now everything that he had before was gone. Even his true form. Could he truly be powerless?

Reaching his hands up to rub his face he gave a soft sigh. Finding this power was perhaps his next challenge. Dragging his fingers down over his face a moment he gazed back into the mirror, his expression turning to one of confusion as a face peered back at him. Hana was peeking out from beside him and giggled when she was caught! Before his mind had finished processing the fact that she was there her hands were under his shirt and pulling it up!

"You looks much better!" She chimed in a cheerful way, running her fingers along his sides and hips, teasing his love handles. Giggling all the more as he tried to paw her hands away while attempting to wriggle free! When he was sickly and skeletal he cared nothing about this sort of treatment but now that there was actually flesh there to grope he prefered not to be groped! Pulling free from her grip he spun back on her with an annoyed look on his face. Pulling his shirt back down with a huff!

"That tickles." Was his quick response to the sight of her souring expression, in truth he wasn't ticklish at all but he'd learned that a well thought out excuse often saved him from his caretaker's wrath. As it saved him at that moment as Hana's look turned to a pout instead.

Spinning on her heel she turned her back to him and folded her arms, sticking her nose up in the air. "I has good news for you toos!" Turning a little he gave him a sidelong look. "Maybe you don'ts want to hear it?"

The look in her eyes gave him reason to stall with his answering. Remaining silent he eyed her skeptically in return and considered his options. If he ignored this for the ruse he felt it probably was, then she would grow annoyed with him and stay that way for the next few visits. However if he gave in and played her little game, he could fall victim to another one of her pranks, but she would be more hospitable with him. Both options were unpleasant in his opinion and all he could do was have a discontent sigh. Was this what he was destined for? To keep an insane she-creature amused the rest of his existence? What did he do to deserve this?

The sound of glass clinking softly on a tray broke the tense silence hanging in the air and with a relieved little sound he turned his attention towards Okotte. Though the relief was lost when he noticed what she was carrying on the tray. A single glass filled with a pink liquid.

Okotte ignored his curious looks, pausing a moment beside the desk to peer down upon the book he'd left open, her eyes scrutinizing. " You're getting better at this." She muttered as her eyes scanned over every line. The expression on her face turning cold as she reached a hand out and took the page he'd just finished in her grasp. Tearing it clear out of the book. "It's still terrible, hardly legible. You shouldn't be drawing little pictures of letters!"

Crumbling the page into a ball she held up the remains to him and scolded. " Try this again, and again and again if you have to! Till you memorize every letter by heart." Throwing the paper ball aside she proceeded to set the tray down on the desk. Blatantly ignoring his weary looking expression and his effort to bite back his words. Hana however was having a giggle over it, the smaller woman hopping cheerfully over to his side. Taking his hand in hers so she could pat it with something that was as close to apathy as he would ever get from her.

The things he had to deal with. " All I can do is mimic what I see. I need someone to help me speak these words, teach me to converse with them. Or else they will be nothing more than meaningless symbols on paper." Looking between the two women he searched for an ounce of understanding and instead noticed they were both ignoring him. Closing his eyes he simply shook his head. " Perhaps I am the one who is meaningless here?"

Turning from Hana he pulled his hand from her grasp and began to pace away from the women. Not a wise move to turn his back but these two knew exactly how to try his patience and this time they were being quite thorough about it. In the end it was his fault, he should know better by now. Never did anything he said matter unless he was answering one of them. His questions were always ignored, his remarks were frowned upon and his requests for help were dismissed. By now he should have expected this, however it didn't dismiss the fact that it was utterly infuriating!

'Trust them'.

Those words echoed softly through his mind as if he'd thought them up himself. Pausing mid step he looked over to the side, where he thought he heard the whisper. It had been a long while since he heard that soft voice, he'd almost forgotten about it. After a few moments of futile searching he turned his questioning gaze to the girls. Okotte was right beside him with that glass in her hand, presenting it to him with a warm smile. Needless to say it was a bit of a shock how quickly she'd snuck up on him and he recoiled back a step. His eyes lingering on the glass in her hand, it looked like strawberry milk with pearls of tapioca resting on the bottom.

The smell of it though was far from that of strawberry milk. Pungent and sour smelling he couldn't help but make a face as he reluctantly reached for it. " What is this?"

Hana was by his other side at that moment, her bright eyes and cheerful smile turned on fully as her fingers caressed along his arm soothingly. "Is a special potion, yous must drink this before wes can let you go outs!"

He'd only just brought that cup under his nose for a better whiff when her words hit him. Was she speaking the truth this time? His eyes drew from one of the women to the other, searching for any sign of deception. But all he saw were warm and excited faces, perhaps then he could finally leave this magical cage? All that stood in his way was this glass of foul smelling liquid. Staring at the glass in his hand he wondered if this was a test? Though something deep within demanded he not touch it.

It was desperation that pushed him to even think of how he could down this putrid drink quickly. How badly he wanted to finally see something other than books and darkness. Licking his lips he raised the glass and dared to take a sip. Instantly he gagged and made a sickening sound deep in his throat he jerked the glass away! An effort that didn't get very far as Okotte's hand caught his and pushed the glass back towards his lips. The normally tough sounding woman crooning softly into his ear a mother to a child. "It's alright, just drink it."

"Is this some sort of trick?! Some sort of poison? Why do you seek to kill me?!" Nothing at that moment could stop his panic and he struggled in the girls grasps. It made no sense! After all this effort spent to nurse him back to health? Twisting his body to the side he attempted to worm free of Okotte, but Hana caught his arm in a powerful vice like grip, cutting off his escape.

'Trust them!'

Those words were an order, the softness lost in the hard edge of demand. Yet his fight or flight instinct was in full control now and he could not stop struggling. The smaller woman twisted his arm behind him painfully. While the larger grabbed the back of his head and forced the glass towards him once more. Her tone still deceptively soft and soothing. "You won't be allowed to leave this room until you finish your drink!"

The strength alone between these two women was extraordinary. No longer was he weak and feeble as they had pulled him from the tomb. Not that he was at full strength either, but despite his best efforts he was being subdued so easily that it was frightening! With widened eyes he searched for a way to escape, drawing his head up and back to avoid the glass of foul smelling liquid. Fighting back as much as he dared, even as a voice in his head warned him not to, not the whispered voice that floated through his thoughts like a fog.

This voice was entirely his own. The voice of reason, telling him that he could not win this. Surrender was his only option. It was the feeling of helplessness that he despised the most. Knowing that nothing here was within his control and there was nothing he could do to change that. This was something he had to accept and keep accepting no matter how many doubts clouded his judgment.

That instinct to fight was quickly buried, as was his fear. There was no place for these feelings in his mind, that gentle whispering voice reassured him so. Reminding him that the only thing he could do was trust these creatures. Trust them all, regardless of what they did to him. Complete and unconditional trust.

Fighting against instinct however was a difficult thing to do, even for him. The further he buried it, the harder it clawed back to the surface. But he tried his hardest as it was a matter of survival and he failed miserably. The glass touched his lips, giving him another taste of that putrid liquid and he gagged! Gritting his teeth he violently turned his head away, some of the milky pink liquid spilling over his chin. Every part of his mouth where the liquid touched burned and blistered as if he'd just sipped acid. Even his sinuses began to burn!

A shadow's movement caught his attention and his eyes locked upon a figure cloaked robes the color of ash. Though a glimpse was all he could get, before a cold feeling swept through his body robbing him of strength within seconds. Everything felt heavy, his knees buckled and he fell into Hana's waiting arms, who eased his form slowly down onto the cold marble floor. Resting him down onto a sitting position where she braced him from behind within a gentle embrace.

Nothing would move. Try as he might he could not get even a finger to twitch, his eyes were open but he could not see anything that was not directly in front of them. He could not blink, he could not make a noise, even his heart beat had calmed despite the panic that was quickly growing worse because even though he was immobile; he could still feel everything! All of his senses were all still completely functional.

Delicate fingers combed through his silvery hair, gathering it up into a fist full and pulling his head up. While other fingers pried his mouth open and pushed his tongue out of the way, making room for the tip of long metal funnel that was thread down his throat. The two women were silent as they worked, their smiles gone and their antics ceased. Though Okotte scowled briefly as the funnels metal tube hit his wind pipe, causing his body to gag and weeze. Roughly grabbing his chin she jerked his head back and aligning the tube before threading it down to his stomach.

An eerie calm followed once she'd finished. There was nothing he could see at the moment except for the dark ceiling above. But he could hear the soft rustle of velvet and the sounds of shifting and scuffling feet. Okotte's hands reluctantly released him, letting his head roll freely to the side where the length of metal tube wedged painfully within his throat.

The pain was welcomed however, as it was just barely enough to help him block out what was happening. Oh how he wanted to block this all out! Despair creeped in, pushing away fear and squashing any last shred of hope that remained. Leaving him with only acceptance for what had befallen him and what was to come. That drink was going into his stomach one way or another, all he could hope for was that his caretakers would be quick. Yet for a few long minutes he was left there, his rag doll body at an awkward angle with his head propped in the most painful way. How much more must he surrender to end this?

'This is necessary.' The whisper this time was much louder, far more clear within his mind than before. Gentle but cold hands cupped over his face, with the feathery touch of fingertips tracing over his cheekbones. A caress he was all too familiar with, one that he had felt many times before. With far more care than before, his head was straightened up and braced in a way that relieved the pressure of the metal tube. Silently he willed his eyes to turn, this creature that had held such control over him was close to his side. Yet his gaze would not turn towards him.

What he could see was Okotte, shaking not a glass of that pink liquid, but an entire bottle! If his heart would obey his emotions, it would have sunk right now. Whatever this was, they were making quite sure his insides would be thoroughly saturated with it when they were finished.

'It is not poison.' The words brought with them a comfort that felt foreign. ' You must trust in us and we shall trust in you. While you serve as my familiar, as long as you can be trusted, then you shall have no reason to fear."

Curiosity began to slowly overtake the fear as he watched Okotte pour the contents of the bottle into the funnel, her face an emotionless mask. While he felt his stomach fill he wondered what good he could be as anyones familiar? A shadow of his former self, an empty shadow at that, there was little he could offer this figure which so far seemed to hold incredible power. The spells flitting about this place, the effect he had on these powerful women all of it made him think that there was nothing the figure could not attain from him. So then what was he good for?

When the last drop of the putrid drink was gone the funnel was pulled out at last, this time with a bit more care. Okotte retreated out of his line of sight and right behind her was Hana, who lay his head down onto the floor before she scuttled away. Leaving him alone with the one person who started this all and for the first time he was able to look upon him in full light.

His skin was smooth like marble and almost as pale, with a small mouth and a slight protrusion where a nose should have been. It almost looked like he was wearing a mask, though the youkai only needed to focus on the black almond shaped pools that were his eyes to know this was no mask. The robe he wore bore a hood that hid the rest of his features away, so the youkai had no idea if he possessed hair or even ears. What he did know was that this creatures lips did not move when he spoke.

'Rest now my Treasure.' The soft touch of his hand brushed back that long silvery hair. ' You have been restless and desire to work. Sitting idle is something you despise. Be patient just a little longer, for it's nearly time. Rest now.' With those final words he gently drew his hand over the youkai's face and closed his eyes.

The scent of stale air and dried dirt filled his raw sinuses as he awoke. Groggily stirring where he lay, the first thing he noticed was how much his mouth still burned, the second thing was how heavy and weak his limbs felt. Was he still within the grips of that disabling spell? Slowly he lifted one hand, followed by the other. Experimentally flexing every digit to be sure everything was working, before letting his arms flop to the dirt covered floor. A pang of sadness crept through him as he opened his eyes. Finding nothing but darkness there to greet him, confirming exactly where he was. The tomb.

Had he been deceived when he was promised to be let out of his room? Or was this a punishment? Granted he fought against the girls but there was nothing malicious in his struggles! He wished no harm on either of them, nor the figure behind it all. There was only the instinct to escape, fight or flight, a very difficult emotion to control. In the end it seemed that lack of control had cost him what little freedom he had in that room. Licking his blood encrusted lips, his thoughts sunk into hopelessness. Until something tiny buzzed past his nose, cutting through his moment of self loathing.

"How did you get in here?" He whispered to the little insect as he listened to it buzz around the perimeter of the small tomb. Perplexed as he was, for never had he ever shared this prison with anything else over the long years he spent here. Nothing had cut through the absolute silence back then. Perhaps this was a sign that something was indeed different about this condemning? It was a tiny spark of hope and one he'd not let fade away too soon, with stiffness in his joints and an ache in his stomach he picked himself up off the floor.

Immediately hitting the top of his head against the ceiling! Clapping both hands over his head he swooned a little and cursed a few colorful words at the cruel reminder that the ceiling in this room was one inch too low for him. This was something he should have remembered, there was no excuse. After all it was one of the many little details about this cell that drove him to madness.

Rubbing his head he peered through the darkness, though as before he could see absolutely nothing. His night vision completely thwarted, he reached a clawed hand out while taking a measured step. Not needing to go far when his fingertips touched upon the cold stone wall. The bug however insisted on joining him as it buzzed over his pointed ear, landing on the very tip. Causing him to shake his head to dislodge the intrusive creature.

With slow steps he began to walk the perimeter of the room, much as he had done the first day he'd awakened here. Just as before all he could feel was smooth stone, not finding so much as a single crack in it's surface. This time however he was also searching for any trace of magic, even the tiniest residue could be clue to the way out of this cell. A difficult effort as it was and this cursed little bug buzzing around his head was not helping!

It was hard for him to believe that this insect could it see in the dark. Maybe it was tracking his body heat? He was about to swat at the pest one more time when something caused his fingertips to tingle. Freezing mid step he held his hand still, bringing the other along beside it just to confirm his finding. Somewhere around this point had to be the way out of this cell, if only he could-"OUCH!"

In his sudden excitement he did not feel the bug land on the back of his hand, in fact he was not even aware of it. Until the little beast stung him! With a growl he slammed the back of his hand against the wall, killing the relentless thing! But also pushing something a good half inch. The sound of stone grinding against stone stopped his tantrum cold and he waited a moment to see what became of this. After a few moments the room was silent once again, but amid the darkness was a tiny crack of light.

This light glowed as brightly as the hope he held within him, but as he reached a hand out to that crack he stopped. Fingertips hovering over the edges of stone, the light dancing over his skin and illuminating his claws. Unable to draw closer, though it was not for any magic or barrier. It was his own mind that stopped him and the single question within it. Should he be doing this? It was that foreboding feeling that nothing good would come of it that left him second guessing his actions.

He was placed here for a reason. Though why give him this tiny bit of hope when this tomb was so inescapable before? What lesson was that creature trying to teach him? Licking his dry lips he steeled himself for the worst and pressed both hands against the stone. Giving a hard shove that moved the slab with a resounding groan. The light that poured through was not that bright but more than his eyes could handle after just stepping from the darkness. Squeezing them shut he shielded them behind his raised hand as he wormed through the gap that opened.

The light however was the first change that he noticed as he stepped from the tomb, otherwise the air smelled as dry and stale as it was inside the tomb. It took him a few minutes but eventually his eyes adjusted enough that he could see and what he was was another door to another tomb. To his left, another door. Silently he looked about, realizing he was standing in a cold hallway that looked very much like a crypt. Though as he sniffed around, he could not pick up any scent of death.

The only light was from a glass lantern, something he'd never seen before but didn't question. Plucking it off the wall he began to cautiously walk down the narrow dusty corridor, searching amid the walls filled with holes just big enough to slide a body in. And large square slabs of stone that covered the entrances to larger tombs. His curiosity growing stronger than his sense of caution. "If the dead do not occupy this place, then what does?"

A soft buzzing sound answered his question. Once again an insect hovered annoyingly close to his ear and once more he brushed it away. This time however he managed to get a look at the little pest, a small red and yellow colored wasp. Narrowing his eyes on the creature he flicked a claw the moment it dared approach him again. The wickedly sharp tip splitting the insect apart. There was no desire to let this little monster sting him as well, especially as the sting to his hand was already beginning to swell.

Flicking the remaining insect goop off of his claw he continued on through the corridor, wondering exactly where these insects were coming from? Could there be a way out of here that the wasps were using? The thought gave him hope but also struck a tiny bit of fear into him. If there was an escape, should he take it? Holding the lantern up he carefully crept around a bend in the corridor. Searching about warily for anything that could jump out and stop him.

As he rounded that bend, he caught the first smell of death in this crypt. Slowing his steps he stayed close to the wall and searched for signs of the source. All he could hear however, was buzzing. A lot of it.

One of the tombs lacked a door, at least that was what he thought at first. But there was a breeze coming from that dark doorway. A promise of escape laced with the smell of death, macabre curiosity got the better of him. With measured steps he approached the door and let the lamps light spill within. Of course he found the corpse laying there, but it was what he witnessed inside the corpse that stopped him cold in his tracks.

Man or woman, it was impossible to tell what the bloated body had once been, but what he knew for certain was that this person had not been dead for very long. The bloat was not due to any kind of decay. In fact it looked as if it's belly had burst, ruptured open by hive the thousands of wasps crawling over it was building. While larva writhed in a bath of spilled blood.

With the same measured steps he slowly backed away, the horror of the scene too much for even a Daiyoukai like him. In his life he'd seen the horrific fates of many unfortunate souls, but this right here was a scene that would haunt his dreams. Slowly he lowered the lantern, letting the shadows reclaim the gruesome scene even if he could still not tear his eyes away. Just as the initial shock of the horrific scene began to face, another, far worse fear gripped him.

This was the lesson. A gruesome end was what awaited him if he dared try to escape, devoured alive from the inside out and reduced to a wasp filled husk. His hand grabbed his stomach as it began to hurt more now as he came to the realization of what exactly had been in that 'drink.' And as the realization sunk in, so was any scrap of hope left lost to him. It was the feeling of helplessness that he despised the most, knowing that from now till the day he at last perished nothing was within his control. Turning on a heel he returned up the corridor from whence he came. Following the whispers that called him back to his tomb.

Chapter 41 - End.


	42. Rules of the Game

_Authors Note: I have been slow on chapter releases and wanted to apologise. I haven't abandoned this story. What I have been doing is researching self-help resources for writers on the side and working on other writing projects. Some of which will eventually go up here on fanfiction and elsewhere on the wild wild net. Which leads me to a small request to the tiny pool of readers that are following my little fanfiction;__ Please do not link to or repost this work without talking to me first.__ The reason being, is that I write this fanfiction as a hobby and for my own entertainment. There is a learning curve that is quite evident between chapter 1 and chapter 42. I am a little self conscious of it and thus I do not promote this story myself. As always I want to thank my readers for following Reconnectivity. There is still lots more to come. _

Chapter 42 - Rules of the Game.

An oddly shaped cloth with buttons and long ties. That was what he was puzzling over while sitting on the edge of the bed; while Hana was busying herself with laying out the rest of his new clothes behind him. Most of which looked normal enough, save for this one strange top that he was beginning to deny was even meant to be worn. The cloth itself was thick and heavy, much like the rest of the outfit. Each piece was mostly black with rune like designs of burgundy and dark green along the hems.

"Yous holding upside down!" Hana chirped and snatched the top right out of his hands, casting him a scolding look as she walked back around the bed.

It took all his discipline to swallow back the mean retort that threatened to bubble up and a few moments, but he managed to hold his tongue and lower his hands. Releasing that pent up emotion with a soft sigh as he resolved himself to watch his caretaker while she resumed her work. Feeling grateful for her patience, even if she often came off as rude to him.

When he had been ill and weak in bed, he could get away with little rude quips or even some huffing and puffing. But ever since his caretakers showed him their true nature, he'd become a bit wiser about his biting words. Especially to Hana, who of the two women assigned to him, harbored no intention to prey upon his reopened wounds. Making her the nicer of the two.

Hana had been the only one to enter his tomb, finding him sitting in his favorite corner surrounded by darkness. With his hopes shattered like glass and a new dreadful understanding of the hopelessness he faced, all he could do was huddle there and wait. Until the soft touch of petite hands brought him back from the brink. Gently encouraging him from the recesses of this small bit of hell and bringing him back to his room.

Despite the terrible treatment before, she was amazingly patient with him, ever mindful of his fragile mental state. How easily he wish to slip back to his dreams and forget his hopeless situation. More than once did he actually try. But she stayed at his side while he teetered on the verge of mentally breaking apart. Keeping him engaged with questions about anything and everything, just to keep him talking. Keep him thinking. Keep him there with her and not give him the chance to shut his consciousness away in some secluded recess of his mind. During this time she actually answered some his questions, directly or not, but she answered.

Meanwhile, Okotte had been keeping herself scarce. The few times she had appeared in the room she was quick to do what she needed, although she stopped once to pet and croon at him like a pet dog briefly before she vanished; more than likely keeping out of Hana's way.

After a few days of Hana's tender care he had stabilized and soon after was in a right enough state of mind to resume his old habits. Most of which involved his endless search for something to keep occupied. The girls had also resumed their routines soon after, with Hana being a tease and Okotte being hell bent on finding reasons to be disappointed in him.

With an annoyed look lingering on that strange garment, he was thankful Okotte was not here right now. She would have plenty of ammunition here. He could almost hear her harping in his mind. Shaking his head to dismiss the thought he turned his attention to his own plain linen garb, figuring that now was as good a time as any to get undress. Pulling at his shirt first, he managed to just about get it off his head when another came down over him! Erk! Curse it! Rustle-!

The struggle only intensified when he heard Hana's gleeful giggling while he wrestled to untangle his arms from both garments! The girl's insistent tugging not making the process any easier, frustrating him to no end! "Let go of it!" This time he could not restrain himself from snapping at her, wriggling his way from her grasp he finally freed himself enough to fix the mess he was in! Silvery hair spilling free as his head popped up through the top of the shirt, only to cast the laughing caretaker an exasperated look.

"I do not need help dressing!" He had to remind himself to watch his tone as he scolded her, giving the shirt a last tug before it fell into place, or perhaps was that clung to place? Much like a second skin now that he noticed it. Though before he did anything else, he snatched the pants off the bed before Hana could even lay a hand on it! Taking his time to shed his linen bottoms as he remarked. "How form fitting."

Much to his dismay the bottoms were just as snug as the top, although the material did not seem to hinder his movements at all. Buttoning them into place he took a moment to look over himself. With the shirt tucked in perfectly into the pants he looked rather sleek...and a little lumpy. All that time spent sitting on his rump was really showing.

"Those clothes goods for exercise." Hana replied as she appeared by his side and slipped on what looked like a pair of leather tasset. Belting it on around his waist and fastening a piece that would protect his stomach. Before taking the confusing looking top and poking his elbow.

Understanding, he raised his arms and watched as she wrapped the top around his chest and over his shoulders. With a little of his help of course, for the short woman would never have managed to reach. Pulling the laces tightly to keep the garment from slipping, she expertly buttoned it all into place. Once finished he lowered his arms and finally understood the purpose behind the top. As it barely reached the bottom of his ribs and rested thickly on his shoulders. It was padding for armor.

Rolling his shoulders, he tested the limits of the clothing while Hana collected the last of the armor he would be wearing. "No used big pieces today, little steps." She smiled and motioned to him with a bracer.

"I have worn heavier armor than this." He added while holding out his arms for her, memories of his old ensemble coming to mind. Made of demon bone and woven together with magic, it was an impressive if downright heavy suit. It did indeed slow him down marginally, however it was a small price to pay for the protection it offered.

"No needs heaviers." Tugging the bracer on, Hana hardly looked up as she diligently worked. Lacing everything into place before giving his arms a light patting. Chiming contently to him. "All sets! Put shoes on now and look in mirror!"

Testing out his new garb, he gave his arms a swing and listened to the creek of new leather. Wondering what was in store for him since he needed such precautions, yet not having the opportunity to ask. Hana was too giddy and in this state trying to ask her about anything was bound to be a useless endeavor. Sitting down upon the bed he collected the boots and slipped them on, the footwear seemingly made from the same kind of thick leather with a soft sole.

All in all the outfit felt strange. Of course he knew that lightly armored ment light on your feet, but that still made him wonder, even worry a little over why he needed it. Was being tossed right into a fight? Stomping both feet on the floor, he garnered a feel for the boots before he stood up and made his way to the mirror. Casting a critical eye at himself and the clothing, not feeling particularly flattered by the snug fit. Especially when he turned a little to look at his rear. "Why must this be so tight?"

"For good reasons!" Hana assured him. The sweet smile on her face quite pretty and the glimmer in her eyes was just as pleasant. Rocking back on her heels she put on a cute little display of pride. But then she hopped behind him in the blink of an eye and slammed her palm right into the center of his spine! Shoving him hard straight into the mirror!

One would think by now he should have known something bad was about to happen when she was beaming so cutely. Bracing for impact against the polished glass he threw his arms up over his face and closed his eyes! However he did not hear a shattering sound nor feel slivers ripping through him. All he could feel was free fall and the sensation of tumbling through the air head over heels.

At that moment instinct kicked in and his body twisted around mid air, bringing his feet back under him. By the time his eyes opened he landed on all fours down on a stone floor, raising a flurry of dust and silver hair around him. Yet he froze where he landed while his gaze darted about. Trying to take in his surroundings while grasping what had just happened. Was that mirror a doorway out of the room all this time?

"Just like a cat." The voice echoed from somewhere behind him, interrupting his thoughts. The youkai quickly sprung to his feet and whirled toward where he thought his attacker was standing. What he found instead though was a dimly lit room with soft sand at it's heart and racks of weapons lining the walls. But no attacker.

Something tugged on his hair and without thinking the youkai whirled around, a clawed hand raised to strike. It was a sudden and explosive move, which brought a gasp and curse from somewhere behind him. A blind strike which luckily for him was enough to drive back whoever was lurking there! However it had been a very long time since he took the offensive like this, thus he was a little clumsy. Regardless his clawed hand struck something, shattering it to pieces before the arc of his strike finally connected with the ground! Unleashing a blast of sand, stone and dust into the air from the brute force alone.

Through the cloud of dust he spied a set of canvas shoes scrambling frantically back from his vicious might. Content that he'd pushed his opponent back on his heels, he draw his hand back; taking the opportunity to finally see and size up his opponent. Which for the most part left him quite intrigued if perhaps thrown for a bit of a loop.

Before him stood a rather young looking man, short but slender with a face filled with long braided whiskers the color of steel. His hair may have been the same color, but it was impossible to tell with the strange hat on his head. The clothing he wore looked very unique with shades of dark red and dark purple, layered in a way that seemed somewhat familiar to him. Along with the scent of a certain spice he could not quite name at the moment. As the dust settled he retreated back a step, choosing to study the young man as he in turn studied the broken ends of his staff.

"Faster than a cat." The man grumbled and tossed the pieces away. Folding his hands into his long sleeves as his beady black eyes returned the youkai's curious look. "I was warned to be careful with you, once again the masters prove that they are never wrong."

Taking this as a sign of no further trouble the youkai relaxed his own stance, a knowing look on his face when he finally recognized the man. A soft growl rumbling through his words as he spoke. "I see now, it has been a very long time since I've seen a Mongol."

"Have you?" The young man beamed. "When and where may I ask did you so happen to meet one?"

"Deep into the mainland territory, at the end of my sword." He answered without much thought, it was the truth after all. The few times he had encountered mongols was while he was far west in the chinese lands. These were the days when tribes of mongolians came together under one very frightening leader. Shaking his head, he raised a hand in a dismissing gesture. "Those were dark times."

The mongolian's face was drained of all emotion as he regarded him. "Indeed they were. But there is no sense dwelling on the past. We are both here for a reason and the masters won't be too pleased if we wasted their time." With a sweep of his arm the mongol bowed and motioned to a small table set up in the dark recesses of the chamber. "This way please."

That plural finally caught his attention and as the mongol beckoned him to follow with a bow he asked about it. "There is more than one master?" Never had he seen any other, though to be fair that didn't mean he was alone.

Abruptly the young man turned back to him, holding a finger over his lips as he hissed in a soft tone. "Shhh. Keep your voice down when you speak of them! Not that it will do you in particular much good, but forgive me when I say; it is not your hide I am worried about."

They soon arrived at a small kneel to table, with a pot resting upon it. The tea within smelled overwhelmingly spicy and sour. It was enough to make his nose wrinkle, yet he kept himself in check as he took the invitation to sit down. Until the fellow brought out the tea cups! Making a face he quickly raised a hand in refusal. "Pardon me, but the last time I smelled something like this, I was told it was made of spoiled horse milk and root spices. Not a drink I can stomach."

"I assure you there are no mares' here to milk, so I had to substitute the breast milk of hags." The mongol quipped back nonchalantly as he picked up the teapot. Though One look at the youkai's disgusted face made him break out in momentary laughter! "A joke!"

Shaking his head as the laughter passed, the man flashed the youkai a smile that clearly showed a gap left where two front teeth should have been and gave a little bow of his head. "Where are my manners? My name is Tengak. As you can tell I am a shaman, though sadly my tribe is long gone."

It felt odd to sit there and speak to someone who was not Okotte or Hana. Though being that they were the only ones available to talk to probably contributed to that. Any conversation shared with them was almost always unproductive. Since all his questions were either ignored, made light of or resulted in a scolding. It almost felt like his role was to exist and humor them.

For once in a long time he felt he didn't have to humor anyone. Least of all this Mongol, who he could see right through his friendly smile to the sliver of malice hidden beneath. Truth be told, he'd never spoken to one of his race, usually because his people were never interested in sitting down for a talk. This one was no different it seemed. With a little sniff he shook his head to the introduction. "I'm nothing more than a pet here, it's not worth asking my name."

Keeping up that fake little smile Tengak leaned over the table and cast him a leering look. "I know who you are. I know what you are. The Dog General wasn't it? That was what you were called back in your home. But the people on the mainland simply knew you as the Dog Mon-ster…"

The way Tengak enunciated that word, he could clearly see what he was dealing with. Someone who knew of him and thus, seemed to have a bit of a grudge. Shaking his head at the Shaman's apparent dissatisfaction he countered, keeping his tone carefully even. "My apologies, but it seems I will disappoint you. That title is what the humans bestowed on me, nothing more. I am hardly a General, but I will take credit for pushing back the invading mongol navy trying to reach the shores of my home."

"Those ships, which you sunk, carried my people." The shamen remarked with a nasty edge while tucking his hands into his sleeves.

"Those were no more your people as they were mine." The youkai huffed and cast him a cold look. A clawed finger pointing to his own nose. " It is obvious you are not human."

"And it's obvious you're a dog." Rolling his shoulders with a shrug he smiled to the youkai. "Of course you would notice, but this meeting isn't about me. " Casting him an all knowing look he smiled wickedly. "You are the youkai that needed a hundred years for the masters to tame. Everything from the very moment of your death and onwards was due to your master. From the sacrifice you happily devoured to years of solitude you endured. You master has been amazingly patient with such a dangerous monster."

He may as well have been struck down by a dagger! A hundred years in that tomb. Swallowed by darkness, the only contact being that of the voice echoing in his head. While he writhed with every agonizing loss! The death of his love. His youngest child's disappearance. A hundred years it took for him to disconnect from it all.

No creature could endure such an experience without losing their sanity. No doubt he lost his sanity, or did he? Tilting his head a little he tried to ponder how someone who isn't sane could tell that they were not sane?

Meanwhile is host watched the range of confused expressions on the youkai's face with little amusement. "The masters put a lot of effort into a monster like you. I can only humbly assume that they expect their work to greatly pay off for them soon."

A fist came down on the table hard enough to toss the tea set into the air.

Tengak scrambled to save the pot of foul smelling brew before it ended up on the floor. His unamused look quickly met by the stern glare of the old daiyoukai.

"I have…" He paused a moment to collect his thoughts, his earlier rant subdued by the ill feeling that hovered over him. Recomposing himself a moment later he continued. "For a long time now I have asked anyone who would see fit to even speak to me about my circumstances. Never did anyone directly answer any of my questions. " Drawing a deep breath through his nose the youkai sat back and let his anger lower to a simmer. "Yet here you are, singing like a little bird. Telling me everything as if you knew all along." Holding the mongol captive with his gaze he flashed him a little smirk. "Should I trust what you say?"

Returning that smirk with a sinister one of his own, the mongol rested both elbows on the table and hissed. "It is your decision to believe what I tell you, it is your loss if you do not. Dare I think you are so dim witted that you cannot sniff the truth out for yourself? Can you not see that I only speak of this because I have been instructed to do so?"

Because it all seemed too easy. He couldn't help but become a little suspicious, with all the tricks Hana and Okotte had tormented him with. It was wise to be skeptical of any apparent gift he was presented. For there was always a string attached. He had to wonder though, who was holding the string this time.

"Enough of this." He muttered, his gaze remaining locked on the man across the table. "If I am to believe your words then tell me what you know about the one who has…" Taken? Captured? He wanted to say those words, yet for some reason they simply would not roll off his tongue.

Tengak shook his head and brought a finger up to his lips once more. "Before you say anything more, listen very carefully to what I am about to tell you." The humor left his face then as an air of nervousness grew.. "Because I will certainly not repeat it."

The sudden shift of mood could be felt in the air and the youkai wisely fell silent to the mongols words. Leaning an elbow on the table, he gave a little nod as a signal to proceed. Unsure of how to accept this or if he should even believe any of it. How long now had he been asking his caretakers for any small scrap of information on the hooded figure? Now he'd come across someone who was more than willing to let the cat out of the bag.

Though the man still seemed very unsettled, despite having been so smug about talking just a minute ago. "The first thing you need to understand, is the most important." His eyes rolled to the side as if he were checking the shadows. "The whole reason you are sitting here and not someplace worse, is because you earned their trust."

Immediately a hand whipped out of a sleeve and held up a wagging finger, stopping the youkai before he could even utter a word of question. "Yes-yes there is someplace worse than this. No! I will not speak of it. Just understand that there is some place worse than this." Lines creased over his youthful looking face. "Trust here is very important, as I have said before the masters put a lot of work into capturing you. More work that I have ever seen, so they have high hopes for you and they trust you enough to let you out of your cage."

Picking up the teapot he poured himself and the youkai each a cup, ignoring his table guests wrinkling nose. " I know this world seems strange and you want to question everything that doesn't make sense." Sliding the cup over to the youkai, he looked him right in the eyes before he added. "Don't."

Despite the acrid smell of the brew he took the cup anyway and nodded. Though promptly set it aside amid a silent wish that he could turn his nose off. Rubbing the offended appendage he nodded again to his host, coaxing him to continue on.

Taking a sip of his tea, Tengak gave a content little sigh. "The second thing you need to understand, is that knowledge can be dangerous. Very dangerous. Those who know too much are…" Pausing a moment, he muttered over a few descriptive options, before finding one that he finished with a smile. " _Re-educated_."

That word carried a rather eerie ring to it that sent a shiver down the youkai's spine. No doubt it was more than noticeable to his host despite his efforts to subdue it. To him, re-education meant being put back in that tomb for another hundred years.

Setting down his cup, his host leaned in and dropped his voice to barely a whisper. His eyes darting nervously about. "There are four masters all together. Where they came from, who they are or what they are is unknown. Neither they nor anyone else speaks of it. It would be wise if you do the same. However, it is also a little suggestion of mine, that you avoid the other three masters as much as possible."

Raising a hand he waved off the youkai's quizzical look. " You are the kind of beast that can be bound to one of the masters and thus you have been. But even though you are connected to that one master and not the others, it is safe to assume that the other three have power over you as well. However, this doesn't guarantee your safety if you encounter any of the others."

The pieces began falling into place. He was bound to one of the masters which should have made sense. Inugami were typically bound to the person who raised them from the dead. Making him the hooded figures familiar. Somehow that knowledge seemed to sit comfortably with him and heeding his hosts advice, he simply accepted it. His gaze dropped to the cup of foul smelling tea.

"The last thing you should know, is to learn how to cry out in pain." The host smiled even as the youkai flashed him a dubious look.

"Showing pain is showing weakness." The youkai grumbled, not caring if he overstepped his bounds by speaking up.

"If you don't scream when they cause you pain, then they will try harder." Tengak sneered.

"Who is 'they' that you speak of? The masters?" He frowned at his host, trying to digest the idea. One thing he'd learned since he was small, was to never show pain or injury. Because it was weakness that could be used against him. What he was being asked to do here was to go against his very nature. It would not be easy for him, even if it did mean his survival.

"They can be anyone." The mongol whispered softly in answer, his gaze becoming distant.

It took all his discipline to stop himself from slapping that look off his host's face. Fighting off the temptation he tapped a claw on the table loudly to bring his him back down to earth instead. "Very well then, I will take note of that. But what am I to do here? Wander around the rest of my life being fodder for those two crazy women and avoiding the other masters?"

Snapping out of his daze he quickly shook his head to clear it. "Straight to the point. Fine with me." Holding his tea cup up in toast he smiled broadly enough to show his missing teeth. " You my friend, are here to be a dog."

"..."

"Oh what is it with that cold look?" He stared at the youkai in mock hurt, pouting his lower lip. " Did you expect me to something like a slave? Or a pet? Doomed to work the rest of your petty existence away?" Raising the cup to his lips he paused just a moment before taking a sip, adding in a snide tone. "Well you are right."

"Enough games!" A growl of warning rose and quickly died when he felt something stirring within him. Both he and his host flinched as the cool touch of magic washed over them, numbing his limbs and momentarily blurring his vision. Washing away just as quickly as it came, it's purpose fulfilled. Now it was the youkai's turn to look around nervously.

Setting down his cup hard enough to spill its contents, Tengak shivered and hissed his words through clenched teeth. "Must I remind you that our masters are always listening to us here? Do me a favor and please be calm or else both our leashes will be yanked!"

As the magic ebbed the youkai gave a soft sigh, rubbing his forehead. Retracting his words for something a little softer. "Well then, could you please continue on without the unnecessary dramatics?"

Pulling a handkerchief from his sleeve, Tengak set upon the spill. Cleaning it up as he peered into his empty cup mournfully. "Such a waste, such an ill-omen." Hearing the youkai clear his throat the mongol looked up and frowned. "Fine fine. No sense crying over spilled tea."

Though that didn't stop him from taking the youkai's abandoned cup and sipping from that instead. Ignoring his guest's relieved look as the smelly brew was finally taken away. "For lack of a better description, you are to be a Hunter. The masters need things, raw power, souls, magic and knowledge. They give you your task and you carry it out, retrieving what they ask for."

Looking up over the brim of his cup, Tengak flashed an amused little smile. "In essence, your job is to fetch."

This time he wisely ignored the jab and thought over his supposed role, hunting for things at the whim of his master. But couldn't any good tracker be used for such a task? There were humans he knew that could track just as well, if not better than he could. The same could be said for humans handling magic. "Why ensnare someone like me for such a task? There are easier creatures to capture that could do the same thing."

"Not the prey you're going to be chasing." Tengak answered coolly, thoughtfully gazing down to his tea cup. "The master would know what is in store for all creatures like you and I." Dark beady eyes turned to the youkai. "Long ago this world was ruled by blood, bones and magic. Humans then were weak and worshiped those of power who would take pity on them."

"That all ended when humans learned to forge iron." That sentence seemed to leave a bad taste in the mongol's mouth, seeing that he curled his lip in disgust. "From the earth they forged fangs stronger than wood, bone or stone. Iron drove back many of this worlds ancient creatures, mostly those sensitive to the very ground beneath their feet. It was the beginning of what will be the end for many."

More pieces fell into place for the youkai. If this was indeed all true then those books left for him in his room were put there for a purpose. To teach him about the lands and the supernatural creatures that existed far away from his old home. Drumming his claw tips lightly on the table he added to the conversation. " The humans changed, as everything in this world does. It is a sad truth, though it still doesn't explain why I was picked."

An impatient look was all the answer Tengak would give at first, but it was momentary as he rolled his shoulders in a shrug. "The masters only told me they are planning for their future. Which included following you for years before finally ensnaring and bringing you here. Why they picked a youkai? Because they are not as susceptible to humans as ancients are. Why they picked you?" He paused there a moment to take a last drink of his tea, giving a content little sigh as he finished it in one gulp. " Maybe they just like dogs?" Setting down the empty cup he leaned on the table and waved his hand in a dismissing motion. "Now if you don't mind my Dog Friend, I am finished talking. It's time for you to go through those doors and get lost for a while."

Following the motion of his hand the youkai turned a little in his seat and gazed across the arena. Where indeed there were a couple of large metal doors that looked quite ominous as shadows danced around them from the torch light. Giving a snort he refuted the rude little demand. "You will be finished talking when there is nothing more to be said. What is behind those doors? An opponent?"

The sound of foot steps was all he heard, the youkai turning back around just in time to see the mongol practically vanish into thin air. Summoned back by whoever it was that sent him here, one of the masters he suspected. Giving a soft sigh he rubbed his face and ran his fingers through his hair. At last he had some information, but it had left him even more confounded and curious than before.

More questions swirled in his mind, but the more he pondered over them, the more he felt that tiny sense of dread nagging at the edges of his mind. As he'd been warned, knowledge was potentially dangerous here, thus for now he dismissed it. His gaze once more returned to those doors instead as he picked himself up off his seat.

Knowing that he'd been targeted for a while before his death should have unsettled him more, but this information was too little too late. Had he known hundreds of years ago he would have taken measures to try and save himself. All the careful plans and powerful magics he wove in the event of his demise would have included something to thwart this. But it was in the past now.

All that was left to do was play his master's game.

Which he had no intention of doing without some form of weapon. Stopping before the wall of weapon racks he surveyed the collection presented there. Axes. Hammers. Spears. Clubs with spikes? Some strange round blade that didn't seem to have a handle? Quite an assortment and for a moment he wished he had the time to investigate them all.

Thankfully though, amid all the fantastically curious arsenal's lay at least one weapon he was comfortable with and with a careful grip he picked a sword up from it's rack. It wasn't the best quality, with the sword and hilt being one solid forged piece. But a quick glance to the remainder of the sword selection told him that there was nothing better to choose from. Plucking a small dagger up as an afterthought, he fixed both blades to loops in his belt. Silently hoping it was alright if he took them, though he'd yet to hear any voice of objection from anyone.

When he was certain there was nothing else worth equipping he cast the doors an apprehensive look. They were constructed of thick metal and seemed rather plain, lacking the decorative symbols and runes that he'd seen on so many other things here. Perhaps there was a reason? "Perhaps it is best I didn't know." He muttered softly to himself and mustering the courage to continue forward he placed a hand on the door and pushed.

The door didn't budge.

"Has it really been that long since I opened a door? Funny to think I've forgotten how." Sighing to himself he grabbed a ring of metal that might have been the closest thing to a door handle and pulled. Once more, the door didn't budge. Now he was getting annoyed. Was this all some trick? "If Tengak has lead me into a practical joke…"

Glaring at the door he drew a slow breath, bringing his annoyance back down to a simmer. Maybe the door slid open? Now that he noticed, there were no visible hinges anywhere. Yet pulling it to the left then the right yielded similar results.

It was getting harder to control his temper. Taking a step back he scowled at the cursed thing. "Let me through you damn it! There has to be a way, lest no one would call this a door!"

As if on cue, a soft shimmer began to radiate off the metal's surface. A fog rolling down it like a cascading waterfall, growing thick and consistent enough to form a cloud that clung to the door, obscuring it.

The tingle of magic rolling with the fog pricked at his skin, but it failed to distract him from the amazing sight. A good thing as he had a reason to kick himself for this, after all he was in a world where doors were not the most obvious of things. It was foolish of him to think that would change! A flicker of excitement sparked within him and for a moment he ignored the cautious feeling that warned him of getting close.

Holding out a hand he approached the door once more, his fingers searching for the cold surface of metal but feeling nothing. Once he was elbow deep, he knew what to do and with an apprehensive smile she stepped through to the other side.

Chapter 42 - End


End file.
